Welcome to Halfling House

Welcome To Halfling House follows on from Halfling House Origins. There is a longer break in the timeline between the prequel and book one than I was expecting but the author skillfully gives all the important bits to fill in gaps using conversations, narration etc. I really like the cosy, found family vibe of these books. It's a character-driven tale so there are kids being kids (with training-wheel magic thrown in to up the chaos factor!) and a parent figure doing her best to give them a lovng home, all the while worrying about safety, trust and the future. It's all relatable and written in caring tones. It's an endearing story and I couldn't help but feel so much empathy for Ellie and Clara in particular. The author's style let me move smoothly through the pages. She has an easy to read but solid way of writing that builds three dimensional and appealing characters. There are a couple of action scenes and they are vivid and well paced. I love the setting! Australia in a small bush community is home for me so it felt comfortable. There's local food references, a bit of vernacular and the obligatory joke about the number of poisonous animals!! None of this overpowers the story though, just adds a unique flavour, so it won't be an issue for any reader. The mystery of the halfling kids and the potential in each of them, the light flirting between MC's and the Greek pantheon elements are all enjoyable aspects and round out this lovely story. Looking forward to the next in the series.