The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow

The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow by Elaine Dimopoulos; illustrated by Doug Salati 192 pages

 

I’ll admit it; I’m a sucker for books about animals. Especially rabbits. That love has nothing to do with that five pounds of fluff I have at home (And she’ll never forgive me if I don’t mention that her name is Gracie.).

 

Butternut is the main protagonist of this little tale of friendship and bravery---and storytelling. She lives in a burrow with her mother, grandmother and nine siblings. Every day Mother gives lessons to her babies and every night one of the bunnies takes a turn telling a story. But the most important lessons Mother teaches are the ones that will keep them alive.

 

The rabbit family seldom ventures too far from its burrow on the edge of the meadow, where the bunnies fill their stomachs with the variety of grasses growing there. One day, Butternut witnesses Blue, a bully of blue jay, steal an egg from Mother and Father FirstFledge Robin’s nest.

 

After the remainder of the eggs hatch, Butternut becomes fast friends with a spunky little guy named Piper. Piper encourages Butternut to become braver, to not worry so much about keeping to herself as Mother taught her, and the two of them begin to help other forest animals.

 

The story is fast-paced and fun. Doug Salati’s illustration help bring the story to life. I cannot wait to get copies for the granddaughters! The Remarkable Rescue at Milkweed Meadow receives 5 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

Totally Psychic

Totally Psychic by Brigid Martin 320 pages

 

Paloma Ferrer is twelve years old. Her world has been turned upside down with an abrupt

 move from Miami to Los Angeles for her father’s job. She hates being taken away from her abuela (grandmother) and the rest of her large Cuban family. S

 

Her abuela is a famous psychic, that is more popular than any movie star. She cannot go anywhere where people do not recognize her (think “The Long Island Medium” Theresa Caputo). Paloma cannot wait to go to develop her “gift” and go on tour with Abuela.

 

Life is tough for a new tween in a new school. She easily makes new friends. Since her mother has rejected her psychic gift and insists that Paloma abandon her gifts. Then Paloma has a brilliant idea: To start a podcast to host seances at school. By accident, she rips a hole in the spiritual portal, leaving her with supernatural mess to clean up that is often comical.

 

I loved this book with the exception of one thing. When Paloma used Spanish words, I either had to figure them out in context (not hard to do in this book) or Google them.  I wish there had been a glossary, but I probably learned more without it.

 

Totally Psychic gets 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Moon Over High Street

The Moon Over High Street by Natalie Babbitt 148 pages

Please don’t hate me when I tell you I have never read “Tuck Everlasting.” When it was originally published in 1975, I was already a grown woman and never felt the need to read it.

I’m not sure how I wound up with a copy of Babbitt’s “The Moon Over the High Street.” This short novel is aimed at what I call middle-schoolers, grades 4-9. Its themes of family, friendship, rich versus poor and the working class still resonate with readers all these years later.

Twelve-year-old Joe Casimir has only known his grandmother as his family. His parents died in an accident when he was a baby, and the only other family is a cousin of Gran’s, Aunt Myra.

When Gran breaks her hip, she sends Joe to live with Aunt Myra in Midville, across the state. I didn’t envy his long bus trip. Anyone who has taken a long bus trip knows how awful it can be. Midville is a tiny town with clearly delineated lines of where its citizens reside based on class. Class is an important theme in this story.

Joe meets and becomes friends with the girl, Beatrice Sope, who lives across the street. Through Beatrice, Joe meets the town’s millionaire, Mr. Boulderwall. Boulderwall takes a shine to Joe and offers to adopt him. He wants Joe to be his protégé. Joe is forced to decide whether to live a life of wealth and abandon Gran and Aunt Myra or stay with his family and chase his dreams.

There aren’t a lot of characters in this book, but the supporting characters provide Joe with the skills necessary to make this crucial decision.

I thought the book was a quick read with surprising depth. However, it does tend to meander a bit. That’s why “The Moon Over High Street” receives 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

The Last Dance of the Debutante

“The Last Dance of the Debutante” by Julia Kelly   333 pages  

After reading two intense books (Melanie Benjamin’s “The Children’s Blizzard” and Dolen Perkins Valdez’s “Take My Hand”---I highly recommend both), I was looking for something a bit lighter. As I was strolling through the library, I saw that Julia Kelly had a new book out. I can always count on Kelly for a lighter read. 

Instead of World War II England, Kelly chose the 1958 debutante season for her third novel. The still-newish Queen, Elizabeth II, has decreed that will be the last season for high society parents to present their daughters to the Queen, in hope of finding a husband who is titled and/or wealthy. 

Lily Nicholls’ grandmother and mother have ties that can secure Lily’s future. But Lily doesn’t want to so “the season.” She wants to finish her studies and go the university. However, she gives in and allows herself to dive into the grind.  

I never realized how exhausting “the season” could be. From right after Christmas through late June, the debutante attends an ongoing array of teas, balls, outings, cocktail parties, and any other imaginable get-together that will put the young women near eligible men. Multiple events were held daily. It must have been exhausting…and expensive.  Lilly makes two friends, Leana and Katherine, who help her keep going. 

Lily’s family consists of her mother, her wealthy grandmother who is paying for most of the season, and a sister she has never met. The first half of the book is Lilly running from party to party, dance to dance. All she wants by halfway through the novel is a nap, and who could blame her. That first half deals with the pettiness, the sabotages, the gowns, the young men, the backstabbing.  

But halfway through, the plot gets juicy. Lilly is convinced that her mother, who has never recovered from her father’s death, doesn’t like her. Lily is certain she is hiding scandalous information about her hardly-mentioned sister, Joanna, and sets out---between parties---to discover the truth. 

To add to the intrigue, a tragedy near the end of the season shifts the plot into high gear, and I could not read fast enough. I admit that I got a little bored with the first half, but the second half shot this up to 4 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

 

The Woman With the Blue Star

The Woman With the Blue Star by Pam Jenoff  336 pages

Even before I started reading, I was intrigued by the title. I’m familiar with, and have been lucky enough to see one, the yellow stars the Nazis forced the Jewish people over mot of Europe to wear. The blue star was new to me. A Google search didn’t yield a quick explantion, but after a little digging, I found a Jewish Heritage website (Sorry, I forgot to note its name and cannot find it again) that educated me:

  "In September 1939, following the German invasion of Poland, individual German military and civilian authorities imposed the Jewish badge in certain Polish towns and villages, the first being decreed in the town of Wloclawek on October 29, 1939. In the General Government, that part of Poland directly occupied by Germany, Governor General Hans Frank ordered on November 23, 1939, that all Jews over the age of ten wear a "Jewish Star": a white armband affixed with a blue six-sided star, worn over the right upper sleeve of one's outer garments. There were heavy penalties for those caught not wearing it."

With that knowledge, I set off to read Pam Jenoff’s latest historical fiction novel.  In this tale, Sadie and her parents had been forced into Poland’s Krakow Ghetto. Eighteen-year-old Sadie ws forced to hide in the attic of their apartment building. She has snuck out and is downstairs in the kitchen when the Nazis raid the building. Unable to get back upstairs, she hides in a trunk, one of the first places her mother showed her to hide when she was much younger. 

Escaping the Nazis this time meant that they were sure to not be missed next time. One afternoon, Sadie finds her papa has removed the toilet and is trying to make the hole bigger…this was their escape plan: into the sewers. Papa’s friend, Pawel, has agreed, for a price, to help them and an Orthodox Jewish family make their way to a modicum of safety. The Germans would never think of searching such a gross and disgusting place, but they must go if they are to live. It’s harder for Mama to fit through the pipes as she is pregnant. Pawel leads them deep under Krakow and finds them an alcove where they can live about the rise and fall of the water.

Three month later, in June 1942, while shopping for cherries for her stepmother, Ella sees eyes through one of the sewer grates. At first, Ella isn’t sure of what to think, but she and the girl, who is about her own age, become friends.

Ella has her own tale of woes but nothing like what Sadie and her family and the others are enduring. She is an aristocrat and is protected from the Nazis by her stepmother who is a collaborator. Ella comes every Sunday to bring Sadie what food she can steal with her stepmother discovering that she is aiding Jews.

As time goes by and the Nazis begin to realize that they are losign the war, things get more and mor desparate, both below and above Karkow’s streets. To give anything more away would be to spoil it for others, but I’ll tell you the adventure, the terror, the romance, the secrets and the friendship that Jenoff writes about will have you staying up past your bedtime to find out what happens next. I read this fast-paced novel in three nights.

Author Jodi Picoult was lying when she said this about The Woman With the Blue Star: “…and will leave you gasping at the end.”  I sure was!

The Woman With the Blue Star receives 6 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world. 

 

Getting to Happy

Getting to Happy by Terry McMillan    496 pages

Another wonderful read from Terry McMillan.   This is the tale of 4 best friends who each in turn deal with Bernadine's sleeping pill addiction, Gloria's death of a spouse, the divorce of a spouse which leaves Savannah feeling like her spouse died though he is still very much alive, and Robin's shopaholism.   These are the Waiting to Exhale ladies 15 years later and they are asking themselves when is it time to realize their dreams?    I highly recommend this book to all who loved the characters in the first read or the film.   Great book so real and so emotional.

 - Shirley J.

It's Not All Downhill From Here

It's Not All Downhill From Here: A Novel by Terry McMillan      496 pages

This is one of the best books I have ever read.   I love the character Loretha Curry.   She is aging gracefully and with a terrific sense of self and sense of humor.  (She gets it from her mother.)   So many hurdles she has to jump all throughout the book and one hugely devastating burn in your brain event that rocks her to the core.   One of those life changing events that changes the future course of life as you know it.   But, life just keeps happening around her to her friends and family who love her dearly (and how could they not) even if they don't always appear to.   Trust me, you want to read this one.   I even love her dog, B.B.King.   I recommend this book higher than any I have read in the last several years.

  - Shirley J.

The Lying Game

 The Lying Game by Ruth Ware    370 pages  

"Fatima, Thea, and Isabel—receive the text they had always hoped would NEVER come, from the fourth in their formerly inseparable clique, Kate, that says only, “I need you.”

The four girls were best friends at Salten, a second rate boarding school set near the cliffs of the English Channel. Each different in their own way, the four became inseparable and were notorious for playing the Lying Game, telling lies at every turn to both fellow boarders and faculty, with varying states of serious and flippant nature that were disturbing enough to ensure that everyone steered clear of them. The myriad and complicated rules of the game are strict: no lying to each other—ever. Bail on the lie when it becomes clear it is about to be found out. But their little game had consequences, and the girls were all expelled in their final year of school under mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of the school’s eccentric art teacher, Ambrose (who also happens to be Kate’s father)." (Goodreads)

I had an odd sense of deja vu when I started this book --- had I already read it?  Actually, no -- but I've read other books by Ruth Ware, and other books with stories about friends keeping secrets. Maybe that was why? 

This story is a slow burner --- it takes a while to develop, so you need to be patient and stick with it to really feel like you're getting somewhere. Once I got to that point, I started reading more quickly because I thought I knew what had happened and wanted to find out. However, the slow pace and slow story development make this a less than ideal read --- because you get partway in and have to figure out if you care enough about the characters to keep going. I admit I wasn't burning with curiosity. Instead, I had a weekend day to sit and read, so I just kept going.  Ok book, not great. 

The Girls with No Names

 The Girls with No Names by Serena Burdick  336 pages

 It never fails to surprise me when I read about atrocities that humans commit upon each other.  At the heart of this novel is the House of Mercy. A historical reality in New York that many families threatened unruly daughters and wives with unless they conformed to societal rules.

 

It is 1913. Sisters Effie and Luella are spoiled, wealthy young ladies, in their early teens I believe, who do their best to be like all the other girls their ages. Their father isn’t around much and their mother is cold and distant and almost obsessively religious.  I found this surprising considering Effie’s heart defect. She hasn’t been expected to live as long as she has. I thought she’d be more coddled and fussed over.

 

While out exploring the nearby woods, the girls wander upon a gypsy camp. Luella is mesmerized. Night after night, the girls sneak out of the house to the woods’ fringes and eventually into the company of these mesmerizing free spirits. Luella feels that they know the secrets of her soul.

 

Then, unexpectedly and shockingly to the sisters, their father begins to take them to lunch at Delmonico’s. At first, they are excited and stunned. Stunned by Father’s actions. In time, Luella figures it out: Father is using them as a cover to be seen publicly with his mistress.

 

When Luella runs away from home, Effie is certain that Father has sent her up the hill to the House of Mercy. Although her heart slows her down, Effie is convinced that she can save her sister.  Effie manages to run away from home and get herself taken up to the House.

 

Once Effie realizes that her sister isn’t there, no one believes her story---that she doesn’t belong there, that all the staff has to do is contact her parents.  After a while, a heart wrenching while, Effie makes friend with one of the other girls, Mabel.

 

I found the structure of this novel perplexing.  It’s told from three points of view: Effie’s, her mother’s and Mabel’s.  Why didn’t we hear from Luella?  Another point of contention that I have is that there is no real suspense in the story. Once the author let me know what each chapter’s story was, I knew what was going to happen.  Based on these points “The Girls with No Names” receives 3 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

The Goldfinch

The Goldfinch: A Novel  by Donna Tartt     976 ages

Excellent Story through to the end - the last bit is a tad too long and preachy but the entire rest of the story is so good you won't want to come to the end.      The fates of several come into play through the bombing of an art museum.   A young boy there with his mother killing time until they can meet with the boy's school principal who suspended the boy from school for smoking when in fact he took the blame for another kid and wasn't smoking at all himself.   The boys mother particulary loved a small painting of a goldfinch fro whence the title and storyline follows.   Strange how fate brings people together and how in the blink of an eye a life can be changed forever.    The size of the book may be daunting, but, trust me the story and characters are worth their weight in gold.   I don't want to give too much away but I hope you come to appreciate the characters here as much as I have.   Worthy read,  one of the best books I have ever read.                                                                 

And In the Vienna Woods

And In the Vienna Woods Trees Remain by Elisabeth Asbrink   464 pages

As y’all know, I don’t read nonfiction that much. I do, but it has to really caprture my attention.  And this one, by author of the internationally bestselling “1947” did. 

It’s the story of Otto Ullman, a thirteen-year-old Jewish boy who is sent form Austria to Sweden at the eruption of World War II. Alone. His story is fascinating. One of the things that enticed me was the back blurb mention that Otto becomes BFFs with Ingvar Kamprad, who grows up to become the founder of IKEA.

I believe that this is an important book for scholars of the period and those seeking this type of knowledge. There is lots of information on Sweden’s, Austria’s, and even Switzerland’s positions during the War. However, it is too much information for nonscholars like me. I was ready to abandon the book by page 75, but instead I just read the parts about Otto and how he esacaped the Nazis and his life in Sweden. He was part of Kindertransport-like event to save the children of Austria.

I was disappointed that Ingvar Kamprad didn’t show up until near the end. And in my opinion, I didn’t much see the relationship. I did learn how the name IKEA came about: he added his initials to the village’s name. Ingvar Kamprad Elmtardy Agunnaryd (IKEA).

“And in the Vienna Woods Trees Remain” seems to be thoroughly researched, and as I wrote earlier, I believe it is an important book for those studying this perios. Therefore,  “And in the Vienna Woods Trees Remain” receives  2 out of 5 stars in Julie’s world.

Technically, You Started It

Technically, You Started It by Lana Wood Johnson     340 pages

I grew to like this book very much.   It is sort of like penfriends only texting friends, however, when Haley receives the texts she is not entirely sure which of two people the texts are from.   She thinks she knows but does she?    They grow to share so many things in each of their lives and become very close though they never talk in person nor greet each other when in the same place.   Is it really who they think it is?    The longer it goes the deeper their sharing and how hard it is to be so intimate through their words revealing many things no one else knows about each other, yet, why when going to the same school, attending the same parties is there never a time to at least acknowledge each other?   Why is it everytime one of them mentions meeting the other has some calamity arise and they miss each other or just don't seem to hook up.   Life is a mystery and mysteries can often feel better than the big reveal or is that just the shyness talking when both seem to want to be together?   Good book, it takes you from the link of mutual friends to quizzical potential friendship to a multitude of opportunities for more.   Can they reach out and be there for one another or are they going to let each go to the social norm?     Good book.    Fun read.    The humor is very sparkling.   I would recommmend this one to middle schoolers on up.

Full Disclosure

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett, 290 pages

“Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She's making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she's HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.  Keeping her viral load under control is easy, but keeping her diagnosis under wraps is not so simple. As Simone and Miles start going out for real--shy kisses escalating into much more--she feels an uneasiness that goes beyond butterflies. She knows she has to tell him that she's positive, especially if sex is a possibility, but she's terrified of how he'll react! And then she finds an anonymous note in her locker: ‘I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know too.’  Simone's first instinct is to protect her secret at all costs, but as she gains a deeper understanding of the prejudice and fear in her community, she begins to wonder if the only way to rise above is to face the haters head-on. . . .” I really enjoyed this book.  It brought out a lot of issues that teens have to deal with and one that most teens probably don’t, but also an issue that isn’t discussed much.  This is an excellent read for teens who like realistic stories.

Lost In Love

Lost In Love by Susane Colasanti, 340 pages

“Sadie was convinced that Austin was her soul mate, but after discovering his secret she wonders if she even knows him at all. Darcy was all about fun boy adventures with no strings attached . . . until her ex moves to New York City to win her back. Things are getting serious with Rosanna and her boyfriend, but will she be able to break free of her past and let him in? With no parents, no rules, and an entire city to explore, this is the summer that will change their lives forever. Told from alternating points of view, Lost in Love weaves a story of first love, first heartbreak, and everything in between.” This was a nice romance.  I would recommend this mostly to girls who like sweet stories with minor conflict.

The Girl With The Broken Heart

The Girl With The Broken Heart by Lurlene McDaniel, 273 pages

“Kenzie Caine is enrolled at Vanderbilt University, with the goal of becoming a veterinarian. When she lands a summer job caring for and helping to rehabilitate abused horses at the Bellmeade Estate stables, she is over-the-moon happy. One place she does not want to be is at home with her parents. Since the tragic death of Kenzie's younger sister, her mother has unraveled and her father has lost Kenzie's trust. At the stables, Kenzie is in her element. But a serious heart condition limits her ability to complete the more physical aspects of the job, so her employers have tasked the charming Austin Boyd with helping her. But Austin has secrets. And as Kenzie and Austin become closer, those secrets threaten to harm their relationship, as well as reveal other startling truths.” I admit, I had guessed at some of the secrets early on in the story, but not all.  This was a good story for teens who like a good romance, mixed with a little action.

Monday’s Not Coming

Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson, 435 pages

Claudia’s best friend, Monday, doesn’t show up for the first day of school, or the second, or the whole first week.  When Claudia tries to find out where she is, it seems that no one knows or really cares.  She talks to her parents, teachers at school, and even goes by Monday’s house, although, because Monday lives in a bad neighborhood, her mother would kill her if she found out.  Teacher’s check and say Monday is being home schooled, but her family said that she was with her dad, or maybe her aunt.  Claudia doesn’t believe that Monday would just abandon her and she’s determined to get to the truth, no matter what.  This was an amazing, sad, beautiful book that everyone should read.  I didn’t expect it to end the way it did, but looking back, I’m not entirely surprised either.  This is a great book for teens who like realistic books.

Tempests And Slaughter

Tempests And Slaughter by Tamora Pierce, 464 pages

“Discover the origin story of one of the realm's most powerful mages in the first book in the Numair Chronicles.  Arram Draper is on the path to becoming one of the realm's most powerful mages. The youngest student in his class at the Imperial University of Carthak, he has a Gift with unlimited potential for greatness--and for attracting trouble. At his side are his two best friends: Varice, a clever girl with an often-overlooked talent, and Ozorne, the "leftover prince" with secret ambitions. Together, these three friends forge a bond that will one day shape kingdoms. And as Ozorne gets closer to the throne and Varice gets closer to Arram's heart, Arram realizes that one day --soon --he will have to decide where his loyalties truly lie.  In the Numair Chronicles, readers will be rewarded with the never-before-told story of how Numair Salmalín came to Tortall. Newcomers will discover an unforgettable fantasy adventure where a kingdom's future rests on the shoulders of a talented young man with a knack for making vicious enemies.”  I didn’t want to put this book down once I started reading it.  Pierce’s books just seem to get better and better.  I’m always excited when a new book comes out.  Teen fans of fantasy absolutely should read this and all of her books.

The Caldera

The Caldera by John Flanagan, 414 pages

“The Herons take to the high seas to fend off pirates and rescue the heir to an empire in the newest adventure from John Flanagan, author of the worldwide bestselling Ranger's Apprentice! Includes BONUS content--a brand-new Ranger's Apprentice short story featuring fan-favorites Will and Maddie! In Hallasholm, Stig is contesting the annual Maktig competition to decide Skandia's greatest warrior. But a late-night knock on the door brings someone Stig never expected to see again, along with a request the Herons are hard-pressed to refuse: a rescue mission of epic proportions. Across the ocean, the southern city-state of Byzantos is plagued by a crew of pirates who've kidnapped the son of Empress Justina. Slipping out of Hallasholm under the cover of darkness, the brotherband sets sail to recover the boy from his kidnappers, heading south to the island of Santorillos where a near-impenetrable fortress stands atop a cliff, surrounded by a lagoon--a caldera--formed by the crater of a volcano. In this explosive seventh book in the action-packed Brotherband Chronicles, the Herons battle pirates amid stormy seas as the fate of an empire rests on their shoulders.”  This story is fantastic, as usual.  Anyone who likes adventure stories needs to read these.  Really anyone, especially teens, should read these anyway.  Everything that Flanagan writes is amazing.

The Friends We Keep

The Friends We Keep by Jane Green        Audio Book: 12 hours, 41 minutes
Hardback Book: 384 pgs.       

                                                                                       
Excellent book.   Three unlikely folk Evvie, Maggie and Topher meet and become roommates while in college and though their backgrounds are completely different they all make sense together.   Before they leave their alma mater they make a pact that if when they turn 50 they are all single they will all move back in with one another.   They part making jokes about who will likely succeed in life and who will struggle who will need at least one of the other two to keep them out of poverty's clutches and who will cling to one another like a lifeline in order to survive their desperate circumstances coming up with all sorts of scenarios and laughing louder at each horrible possibility.  They go on with their lives, Evvie becoming a fashion model travelling the world on photo shoots, Maggie, who's life had been posher than Evvie's when they were young but now had settled down with the love of her life, Ben, who Evvie sort of hated for a long time when they worked at the same bar and Evvie told her two pals how evil he was to her, thus getting him dubbed, "Evil Ben."  Topher persued a career in acting, though openly gay, he never had a deeply committed intimate relationship.   They fall out of touch as people do but got back together for their 30th college reunion.  Old times seemed so far away, yet, they missed those great times they had together.   The pact came up in conversation.    Love and betrayal, secrets, lies, sorrow, joy but through it all friendship.   Life takes each of the three on some strange journeys and each felt not quite right in the lot they were dealt.  Circumstances bring the three together again but what they don't know can hurt them.   Can they keep their circle of friendship or will it drift away with time?   Great story, I won't spoil it but this one is REALLY good.   I recommend it to anyone.   A very well written story about how the best of intentions can sometimes go wrong.  Well done, Jane Green.

Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, 426 pages

A sweet, lively story. Young Anne definitely was a bit too much for me at times. She's so intense, overly much. But she mellows out as she ages through this book, so that was nice. It's a really bittersweet story, with lots of highs and lows, but overall it's a pretty good one with interesting characters. I'll probably finish out the series.

If you're looking for a slice-of-life historical fiction, this is pretty good once, especially if you're looking for a book for a young but advanced reader and need something they can handle that is age-appropriate.