The Sleeping Bug Review

Title:  The Sleeping Bug

Author:  M.J. Brolly

Release Date:  December 8, 2018

Book Description:

Have you ever read a book that felt so real you wanted to be part of it?

When Molly Jeffries opens her new book, The Sleeping Bug, she is magically transported to the fictional world of small town Texas where she meets the young cowboy, Calhoun Campbell, and his dog, Whiskers. After a mysterious sleeping sickness forces the town’s adults into a deep sleep, Molly faces an agonising decision that threatens to imprison her in the book forever. 

How far would you go to help the characters you love?

The Sleeping Bug is a heart warming, thrilling, and magical children’s book for readers of all ages.

This exciting new children’s novel is perfect for fans of Sophie Cleverley, Robin Stevens, Eoin Coffer, and Helena Duggan.

-From Amazon (Purchase Here)

For as long as I can remember, I have always wished that I could step into a book and be a part of the narrative.  Now, thanks to The Sleeping Bug by M.J. Brolly, readers of all ages can see this fantasy become a reality as Molly Jeffries opens the latest book from her favorite author and finds herself sucked inside.  While I have some criticisms about the overall writing style, I enjoyed my time reading this book immensely.

First of all, Molly is a wonderful protagonist for this story, as she is a voracious reader, making her relatable to a large audience of children that enjoy books as a primary form of entertainment.  Even as an adult, I completely understand how Molly feels like she needs to finish books to the end because otherwise, she is letting the characters down.  The friendships Molly forms in both the real and book worlds are strong and genuine, making the characters the clear strength of the title.

The plot is best described as unevenly paced, but I wasn’t overly surprised by this.  I was quite interested in finding out more about the fictional events that Molly becomes involved in, leaving me to occasionally be bored while she navigates through her everyday life.  In fact, my feelings likely were the same as the protagonist, as she often complained about not being able to get back to her book frequently enough, which is a relatable issue for anyone who likes to read.  Still, the fact that The Sleeping Bug inadvertently mimics the real world doesn’t change that the pacing of the title felt off at times.

On the whole, the book’s writing style is strong, but I question its use of dialogue at times.  A lot of the interactions between children sounded like an adult writing a child like any other adult character, leaving every kid to sound like they’re in their mid-twenties.  In spite of this, however, I think the overall use of language for the book is appropriate for kids, even if the dialogue isn’t overly realistic.

Overall, I enjoyed my time with The Sleeping Bug and look forward to reading any of M.J. Brolly’s future works.  While I may have some issues with the pacing and writing style, it still didn’t detract from my overall interest in the plot and my love of the realistic characters.

Rating:  3/5 Stars

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.  All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.