Extra Normal

In a house full of the paranormal it's hard being extra normal.

I absolutely adored this book! This was a 6/5 star read for me. The family dynamic in this book is so fun and heartwarming even while things were going sideways. First, the characters. The Greer family as a whole is heartwarming but each character felt so well developed. They each had their own flaws and strengths that made them who they are and made their interaction in the family unit and with outside characters that much better. Even the villains of the story are fun and frightening, making the perfect villains for young readers. The weight that Charlie feels of trying to navigate a world that she feels she doesn't fit into but is needed in is so relatable (even if I don't have a supernatural mom and siblings). I loved how the agents/ babysitters/ uncles fit into the story along with the other co-works/ family friends of the parents.

As an adult reading middle grade books I always find the parents to be somewhat negligent that always baffles me. But KAT writes a pair of great parents that also happen to have flaws. You can see how much they love their kids and want to keep them safe while also being passionate about their work but also losing a bit of themselves in the chaos. That's a feeling that I know many adults and parents feel. The example of two adults in a relationship needing to find time for themselves and each other in the busyness of their lives is something I know many adults feel, parents and non-parents. And to see that played out and how intuitive Charlie is about it and the weight it put on her was both beautiful and heart breaking.

The way the plot plays out with the new and strange neighbors is, of course, fantastical but so fun. Each of the siblings play a significant role in overcoming the many obstacles they face in trying to keep themselves and the town safe. They each learn so much about themselves and each other. And a HUGE shout out to Miss Sinister. When first learning about this cursed doll I was creeped out but she really became the MVP of the whole book for me.

I must just now read a Kate Alice Marshall's adult book (her second one comes out next year I think?), which I will probably also love. Once I do that it'll probably make KAM one of the best writers if she can write excellent Middle Grade, Young Adult, and Adult books.

When I started this book I was thinking “hmm how scary can a middle grade book get?” And then I remembered like Coraline and Monster House. I loved that just because it's middle grade didn't mean the scariness would be watered down. It's scary enough for kids and any adults (me) reading this. KAM just does it effortlessly.

As always with every KAM I've read the characters were well-written. I loved getting to know the family. I liked how even though the parents weren't present for basically all of the book, they were still part of the story (as opposed to being absent parents – although that's more YA).

I liked the agents that came and stayed with them – Agent Baxter and his husband, Agent Pendleton. They were funny and I could tell they were friends with the family (and not just coworkers) and I liked that.

My heart felt for Charlie as she always felt like she had to be on top for everything. She helped to make her siblings feel like they could act like children without realising that she's also a child. I also liked that her parents made sure she knew they appreciated and loved her, their relationship with her was very sweet.

Charlie's relationships with her siblings were so sweet to see as well. I've mentioned multiple times in various posts that I really adore good sibling relationships. This is definitely a case for the good ones. They cared for each other and wanted to keep each other safe. And still bantered as siblings do!

The plot and the mystery was done so well (as always with her books). She makes the mystery so intriguing you certainly don't want to put the book down! I did predict most of the plot twists but I didn't mind it in the slightest because of how well it was done. I grew up with Enid Blyton so I'm always down for kid detectives and Charlie and her siblings were joys to follow.