Last updated on May 7, 2026
Two Worlds, One Family
Many adolescents feel like their siblings come from another planet. For twelve-year-old Rivalo, it’s true.
While recovering from a serious illness, Rivalo’s older sister suddenly confides to him that she is really someone else. Someone from another world, one very different from his own. Will the shy, bookish boy be able to assist his outspoken new friend adapt to her surroundings while also investigating what happened to his now missing sister? More importantly, will he be able to help both find their way home?
Tales of a Stranger Sister is a small-scale slice-of-life fantasy novel inspired by classic portal fantasy, isekai light novels, and the films of Studio Ghibli. Centered on friendship, family, and community, and set against a backdrop of serene forests, sprawling mountain farms, and jubilant festivals, it is the story of a young man learning that the most powerful force in any world isn’t magic, empires, or even the gods.
It’s kindness.
Where to Buy:
Tales of a Stranger Sister is available to purchase through several online retailers at the following link:
https://books2read.com/stranger-sister
For Cozy the Day Away, the ebook is 99¢ or the local equivalent at all retailers (Amazon, Kobo, Apple Books, Barnes & Noble, & more).
Paperbacks are available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org and more, but they are not discounted at this time.
Non-Cozy Content Advisory:
Tales of a Stranger Sister contains the following material that may be upsetting to some readers:
A scene featuring a character describing a death occurring due to a violent car crash.
A scene featuring a character voicing suicidal ideation.
No Generative A.I. (Gen A.I.) was used in the creation of this novel or its cover. The assistive A.I. program ProWritingAid was used during editing (e.g. for grammar, spelling, repeated words and phrases), but all Gen A.I. tools offered through it were either disabled or not used. Under no circumstances were any passages written or rewritten using A.I.
The cover art was created by Giorgia Pizzullo in 2023 and is a 100% human creation.
About the Author:
J. Robert Matthewson is a pseudonym used by a 100% real human writer (and not, as rumored, a potentially infinite number of literate squirrels inside human-shaped suit.) He is married to a human spouse, who is also a writer, and the pair share their home in Western Pennsylvania with an adorable but also very demanding feline. When not writing, he enjoys hockey, gaming of both the tabletop and video varieties, animation of all sorts, and outdoor activities with the before-mentioned human spouse.
More information about him, his books, and his general thoughts about anything and everything can be found at https://www.infinitesquirrels.com