Wow, what an impactful, emotional read!

Rescue at the Reef is a non-fiction (true) book by the parents of a ten-year-old boy, Jameson Reeder Jr. Jameson Sr. & Mary Catherine Reeder retell the story about the day, all their lives changed. When on a two-week vacation in the Florida Keys, Jameson Jr. is swimming with the sea turtles and capturing his swim with a GoPro. In an area that has never had a shark attack, let alone a massive Bull Shark, Jameson Jr.'s life is forever changed when the shark attacked him and took his one leg.

As a reader/listener, you find yourself right there, through this retelling of that day. When young Jameson's life is barely holding on, he looks to his faith. He's singing praise songs and comforting all those around and says, "Jesus has me". Everyone who was there that day - a faster boat to get him to help, a nurse who happens to be near, to all the medical staff - each person who was there along his journey, their lives were impacted by his unwavering faith.

His story, no where near finished, has impacted so many lives for the better and has brought others to know Christ. Such a powerful read that had me so emotional throughout, and should a movie be made, I will be a blubbering mess. The Reeder's did an amazing job of retelling a horrific day, yet giving all the glory to God.

An amazing read, an amazing true story, an Amazing God!

This is the true story of a young boy who was attacked by a bull shark in the Florida keys.

Jameson Jr is a wonderful example of the childlike faith that we should have as Christians. Through a very traumatic attack, and the harrowing, continuous life changes and surgeries, each obstacle has been met with joy and resilience.

His parents were often weighed down by the realities of the world throughout this entire ordeal. While this is where so many adults exist, they both (along with family, friends, and even the world) continue to be inspired by the adaptability and tenacity of this 10 year old child. (He is now 13 and still facing surgeries and living with an amputation).

Overall, I enjoyed the story. Watching this family face their fears was stirring. I can't imagine being put in this situation as a parent, and the grace and patience the Reeders responded with is awe inspiring. Clearly a direct reflection of the faith they put in God, even in the face of such trying times.

I listened to the audiobook- The narrators spoke clearly and with emotion as needed. I also liked the extra faith content included at the end.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions presented above are my own.

This book really took me by surprise. I picked it up thinking it would be a good palate cleanser because the synopsis sounded intriguing — but it ended up being so much more than that. I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed it.
I really liked hearing the multiple points of view from his parents. The whole family's testimonies were both edifying and inspirational. I especially appreciated the extra section at the end where they went into more detail about the “God moments” that unfolded throughout such a heartbreaking tragedy.
This is one I would highly recommend to anyone. It’s powerful, encouraging, and a beautiful reminder of hope in the midst of suffering.

Thank you to Netgalley, Worthy Books, and the Reeder family for the audiobook ARC of this work.

Rescue at the Reef tells the miraculous true story of ten-year-old Jameson Jr.’s survival after a shark attack—and the unwavering faith that carried his family through it. More than a survival story, it’s a powerful testimony to God’s protection, the strength of prayer, and the beauty of a faith-filled community rallying together.

One quote that really stayed with me was:

“The stories God gives us may not be the stories we would choose for ourselves, but when they’re handed to us, we become God’s stewards.”
It perfectly captures the family’s perspective: trusting God in the midst of hardship and letting Him use their pain for purpose.

This story is inspirational, informative, and full of heart—reminding us that even in the darkest moments, we are never alone.

This one was outside of my usual wheelhouse, but it was fascinating. The story of Jameson Jr and how his community rallied together after his accident is one I will be thinking about for a while. The structure was a little odd in that the time line not strictly chronological and things definitely got too Jesus-y for me at times, but the story itself is compelling enough for me to mostly forgive those points.

This is the inspirational story of a young boy's journey to healing after a vicious bull shark attack in the Florida Keys. Jameson Reeder Jr. was just 10 years old when he was attacked by a shark while his family was enjoying a swim on what was meant to be a fun and relaxing vacation. Instead, they found themselves racing to save the life of their son and navigating all the changes that would happen over the next months.

The story is told in an almost conversational style by Jameson Sr. and Mary, Mom and Dad to this incredibly amazing little boy. For that reason, I would very much recommend listening to it on audio. The narrators are great, and it's easy to keep track of who is speaking at any given time. Its almost like you're sitting at the kitchen table with them while they tell their family's remarkable story. And what a story it is! It's a story of survival against the odds, an ode to the compelling power of the ocean, and a nod to the lengths that hope and faith and love can carry a family. Ultimately, though, it's a tribute to their son who's heart is big enough to move mountains and to a great God who held the whole family through every challenge and who can use their story to impact people all over the world.

I loved this story. I loved reading about how everything fell miraculously into place for the rescue. I loved reading about the resilience of the Reeder family as they learned to navigate their new normal. Most of all, I love that they are telling their story and pointing out both the struggles and the triumphs and the hand of God in all of it. Highly recommended.

An emotional read about ten year old Jameson Jr’s journey after a bull shark attack in the Florida Keys. Told from his parents perspective, this book shows the power of faith, family, and community in the aftermath of an unexpected tragedy.

I was overcome with admiration for a young child to have a such positive attitude in his recovery, even while dealing with immense pain. He had determination to continue his everyday life and not let an accident define him. It truly gave a vivid description of how his parents and family felt, processed, and handled the unthinkable, while dealing with the growing attention from media and the community. Although, told with their faith in mind - it was not overpowering. Thinking about this little boy and all the things he’s endured and still has to overcome!

I listened to the audio version. This is based upon a true story of a shark attack and the amazing faith of the family. Quite emotional and inspiring. Highly recommend.

I was was blessed with an ARC. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

A very powerful story that follows the perspective of a mother and father who witnessed their son attacked by a bull shark while on vacation. Things can change in the blink of an eye. There were so many obstacles the family had to face and overcome together. This book gives you all the feels, but the main one is one of hope. Through everything their son was calm and kept his faith in God, knowing everything would work out in His plan.
I really empathized with the mother's part since I am a mom myself, I have no idea how I would've gotten through it if something like this happened to my son.
I loved how they emphasized that they wrote this book for people of all faiths while telling their story but includes at the end more of their religious thoughts on what happened.
I listened to this on audiobook and loved how the mother and father were the narrators and were able to give their own accounts on the events of the day and days after from their own tongues.

Rescue at the Reef is a powerful and emotional true story that hooked me right from the start—I was so moved that it had me in tears within the first few chapters. The story of survival, family, and faith left a real impression on me.

I’m not a religious person, but I appreciated how the book handled faith. It wasn’t overbearing, but it did make me reflect and even feel a little more open to the idea of spirituality in hard times.

That said, I was hoping for a deeper emotional dive. While the story is compelling, it often felt surface-level, especially when it came to the child’s emotions revolving around the shark bite incident. One major disappointment was that the person the book revolves around didn’t get a single chapter from their own point of view—it felt like a missed opportunity to let the reader connect with him directly. I kept waiting for more insight into what he was thinking or feeling in the aftermath (not told from the parents POV), but it stayed mostly on the outside looking in. It also got a little repetitive at times, which pulled me out of the moment here and there.

Overall, this is a touching and inspiring read. I just wish it had gone a bit deeper and offered more personal perspective.

I'm always intrigued by stories of faith from children who have such objective insight and almost a matter of fact way of seeing miracles, unaltered by a lifetime of experience. Jameson's story is a terrifying one, though you wouldn't know it from his perspective. It's almost as if his attitude and behavior paired with trust in God kept his parents from completely losing it as I surely would have in their shoes.

The first hand insights into the play by play thoughts of mom and dad really added to the relatable fears we all have as parents when our children may be in danger.

Of course, most importantly, is Jameson's assurance because of his relationship with God. He wasn't afraid in the way you'd think he'd be the entire way through and somehow, this comforts the reader throughout.

Rescue at the Reef: The Miraculous True Story of a Little Boy with Big Faith

This was such a riveting and inspiring book.

I found the back-and-forth chapters from the perspective of Jameson and Mary really compelling and interesting.

This is a hard book to put down. You want to know what happens next in this really intense but amazing book.

Highly recommend checking this one out.

Really teaches resilience, bravery, and courage.

I was absolutely inspired by how God orchestrated the rescue and had everything laid out for a miraculous recovery for Jameson Jr.

The writing is clear, heartfelt, and accessible - I would recommend this for any audience, including families and young readers.

Check it out!

4.8/5

This book is an inspiring story of faith, resilience, and family. Jameson Jr.’s journey and the strength his parents showed along the way is a powerful reminder of how hope and determination can carry you through even the darkest times. It’s clear that their faith played a huge role in helping them push forward, and that was really moving to read.

I appreciated how honest and down-to-earth Jameson Sr. and Mary were about parenting through trauma. Their thoughts on fear, healing, and not rushing the process really hit home. It felt relatable and encouraging.

I did feel like the narrative could be really repetitive at times. The format switches between the parents' perspectives, which gave it a personal, conversational feel. Some parts, like how they met or details from Jameson Sr.’s childhood, felt a little off-topic, but overall, the heart of the story stayed strong.

Rescue at the Reef is an incredible story of the Reeder family's faith, resilience, and drive to persevere in the face of unimaginable difficulty. It was truly incredible to hear how God put all the right pieces into place to save Jameson's life, and how He used the story of their experience to reach so many other people. It's a beautiful illustration of how God use all things for our good and His glory!

I really enjoyed the dual narrator style of the book. The reader alternates hearing from Mary and Jameson Sr, and it really feels like you're sitting down with them to hear their story over coffee. They didn't spend a lot of time on extraneous background information or drag things out, it was succinct and to the point. As a result, every chapter of this book is very impactful and I really just tore through the pages.

I've really been enjoying all the memoirs I've been reading this year, and this one has been one of the best ones yet!

Many thanks to Worthy Publishing and Netgalley for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are mine.

I requested this title thinking it was more about the day of, as opposed to the journey of healing. Regardless, this was a moving story. I thought the dual narration might put me off, but it really didn't! I love to read about the way God works in the lives of everyday people. He is so good! Junior has spirit and a heart of gold. What an experience this must've been to live through.

Narration was excellent! Moving and well done!!