What started your journey?

When I was a teenager and my parents were "correcting" my behavior I was never grounded from friends or tv. I was always grounded from books. My parents had found what motivated me and not having access to books was painful.  

My journey started with Trixie Belden. It was the book/series that got me hooked on reading. Jim was one of my first crushes and who didn't want to be brave and fearless like Trixie or have a group of friends like the Bobwhites of the Glen? I still re-read these books and have found some fan fiction on the web and read those. 

As time went on I found that my favorite books were ones that had mystery and suspense with romance, maybe a ghost or some time travel, and a happily ever after ending. I visited far off places with Madeline Brent and Victoria Holt, the Civil War and Revolutionary War with Ann Rinaldi, pivotal times in US History with the girls of Sunfire Romance and experienced first love with Beverly Cleary.  I loved the Sunfire romance books so much I named my youngest daughter after one of them. And Wait Until Helen Comes? It was deliciously spooky to a 5th grade me. That book is still one of our more popular checkouts at my library. 

All the books above were favorites and have been well loved with the exception of one. I replaced Time Enough for Drums this year after loaning my original copy out and then forgetting who borrowed it. 

I've tried to share my love of reading with my kids and have succeeded with 1 out of 3. But I'll never give up on the other 2! 

What were your favorite books growing up? What was the book that started the journey for you? Comment below, I'd love to know!!

#SunfireRomance #CandiceFRansom #Scholastic #AnnRinaldi #DelLaurelLeaf #RandomHouseChildrensBooks #MaryDowningHahn #AvonBooks #BeverlyCleary #AvonCamelot #TrixieBelden #WesternPublishingCompany #VictoriaHolt #DoubleDay #MadelineBrent #SouvenirPress

Countdown

⭐⭐⭐ 1/2 

Deborah Wiles

YA Fiction, Historical Fiction

394 pages

Published May 10, 2010 by Scholastic Press

Franny Chapman just wants some peace. But that's hard to get when her best friend is feuding with her, her sister has disappeared, and her uncle is fighting an old war in his head. Her saintly younger brother is no help, and the cute boy across the street only complicates things. Worst of all, everyone is walking around just waiting for a bomb to fall.

It's 1962, and it seems that the whole country is living in fear. When President Kennedy goes on television to say that Russia is sending nuclear missiles to Cuba, it only gets worse. Franny doesn't know how to deal with what's going on in the world -- no more than she knows how to deal with what's going on with her family and friends. But somehow she's got to make it through.

Featuring a captivating story interspersed with footage from 1962, award-winning author Deborah Wiles has created a documentary novel that will put you right alongside Franny as she navigates a dangerous time in both her history and our history. 

My Thoughts:

This was another book that caught my eye as I was shelving books in my library. Countdown is set in 1962 and it was like entering another world for me. I wasn’t born until the late 1970’s and was 11 (same age as the main character) when the Berlin Wall came down so I don’t remember Russia (then the USSR) being an overwhelmingly looming threat. Wiles does a great job creating Franny’s world and the pages of propaganda and ads from that time period is a wonderful addition. It really cements the feel and climate of the 1960’s in the reader's mind. Smoking, bomb shelters, duck and cover drills, race issues, women’s issues, etc were a daily part of the 1960’s.  While Franny and her family are worrying about Russia, Cuba, you also see that life goes on. Friend drama, family issues, etc. You see Franny grow up a bit through the book.  The only drawback to the book is you never find out what Jo Ellen’s secret is. It’s alluded to, and adults reading will have a pretty good idea, but I’m not sure the target audience of the book will figure it out and they will be left hanging. This is the first book of The Sixties Trilogy and I’m looking forward to reading the other two. 

See Her Die

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Melinda Leigh

General Fiction, Romance, Murder Mystery

315 pages

Published September 15, 2020 by Montlake

New sheriff Bree Taggert is called to a shooting in a campground shuttered for the winter. But she arrives to find a perplexing crime. There is no shooter, no victim, and no blood. No one but Bree believes the sole witness, Alyssa, a homeless teenager who insists she saw her friend shot.

Bree calls in former deputy Matt Flynn and his K-9 to track the killer and search for Alyssa’s friend. They discover the battered corpse of a missing university student under the ice in Grey Lake—but it’s not the victim they were looking for.

When two more students go missing and additional bodies turn up, Bree must find the link between the victims. She knows only one thing for certain: the murders are fueled by rage. When Alyssa disappears, Bree must race against time to find her before her witness becomes another victim.

My Thoughts:

Another great book from an author who is becoming a favorite of mine. The second book in the Bree Taggert series kept me guessing to the very end. I was having an anxiety filled day and who would have guessed a murder mystery would put the smile back on my face.  I love the characters of Bree and Matt. They are honest with themselves, each other and the story picks up shortly after the first one left off. I like how the conflict between Matt and Jim was resolved as well. This could be read as a stand alone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. You would miss too much of the backstory of just about everyone. I can’t wait for the next one. 

The Geography of Lost Things

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Jessica Brody

Young Adult, Young Adult Romance

458 pages

Published October 2, 2018 by Simon Pulse

After Ali’s father passes away, he leaves his one and only prized possession—a 1968 Firebird convertible—to his daughter. But Ali doesn’t plan on keeping it. Not when it reminds her too much of all her father’s unfulfilled promises. So when she finds a buyer three hundred miles up the Pacific coast willing to pay enough money for the car to save her childhood home, Ali can’t wait to get going. Except Ali has no idea how to drive a stick shift. But guess who does?

Ali’s ex-boyfriend, Nico. And Nico has other plans.

He persuades Ali that instead of selling the car, they should “trade up” the items they collect on their trip to eventually reach the monetary amount Ali needs. Agreeing with Nico’s crazy plan, Ali sets off on a unique adventure that is unlike anything she ever could have expected.

And it’s through Ali’s travels, through the strangers she meets and the things that they value—and why they value them—that Ali eventually comes to understand her father and how his life may not have been as easy and carefree as she previously thought. Because just like the seemingly insignificant objects Ali collects, not everything is exactly as it appears.

My Thoughts:

Oh this was a good one!! It’s not newly published, but it was new to our middle school library. The cover is beautiful, caught my eye and made me want to pick it up. Don't be scared off by the page count. I read this in hardcover and the font size was pretty big. 

I started it while eating breakfast and stayed up late the same day to finish it. When I first started to read I had my doubts. Sometimes I can’t get the adult (and mom) in me to be quiet and when Ali talks about her scholarship I had one of those moments. I wasn’t sure if my inner teenager would be able to surface and connect with her and her story. But I kept going and I was so glad I did. I got lost in her story, her relationship with Nico, her father, and the journey they go on. 

This is age appropriate and I will be recommending it to others. In fact, I've already recommended it to 2 students. 

We have 7 other books written by Jessica Brody in our collection and I definitely am interested in reading more from her.

Miss Janie's Girls

 

⭐⭐⭐

Carolyn Brown

General Fiction / Romance

300 pages

Published July 28th by Montlake

A bittersweet reunion becomes a time for looking back and starting over in a heartwarming new novel from New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown.

Miss Janie is at the end of a long and full life, but she has no intention of crossing that finish line until she’s found her girls…

It’s been ten years since Teresa and Kayla shook off the dust of Birthright, Texas, went their separate ways, and never looked back. Apart from their foster mom, Miss Janie, they don’t have many fond memories of their hometown. Or of each other. Still, neither can forget the kind woman who opened her home and heart to two teenagers in need.

When a private investigator—who just happens to be Miss Janie’s handsome nephew—tracks them both down and tells them Miss Janie is dying, Teresa and Kayla know deep down that they’ve got to be there for her as she had been there for them.

With Teresa and Kayla together again under the same roof, old tensions may flare, but with Miss Janie’s help, they might rediscover that home is the perfect place for new beginnings.

My Thoughts:

This was enjoyable and quick to read while I traveled. A lot of it was about perspective, how our past can shape us, hold us back, or propel a person forward. The chains of the past are pretty heavy for Teresa and Kayla. They come home reluctantly, and embarrassed, about where life has led them and the choices they’ve made. It’s Miss Janie’s, the only positive mother figure they have ever known, dying wish to have her girls home again. We journey with them as they discover truths about themselves, their past and find the courage to trust again. A light, clean read with a happily ever after ending. 

Teaser Tuesday

 

Teaser Tuesday is being hosted by The Purple Booker. Here are the rules and anyone can participate!

1: Grab your current read
2: Open to a random page
3: Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

After you have posted on your blog, go to the Purple Booker and comment on her post with your page (not the whole blog) link. 

My teaser:

My mind whirls like an out of control blender. When does Jo Ellen come home? When can I get back into her room without being noticed and get that key out of the lock? How can I return it to Mom’s suitcase? And the biggest whirl of all: What do I do about the fact that my sister’s letter - my sister’s secret - is now in Margie’s hands? 

Does this sound good to you? Comment below and let me know what you think.

Franny Chapman just wants some peace. But that's hard to get when her best friend is feuding with her, her sister has disappeared, and her uncle is fighting an old war in his head. Her saintly younger brother is no help, and the cute boy across the street only complicates things. Worst of all, everyone is walking around just waiting for a bomb to fall.

It's 1962, and it seems that the whole country is living in fear. When President Kennedy goes on television to say that Russia is sending nuclear missiles to Cuba, it only gets worse. Franny doesn't know how to deal with what's going on in the world -- no more than she knows how to deal with what's going on with her family and friends. But somehow she's got to make it through.

Featuring a captivating story interspersed with footage from 1962, award-winning author Deborah Wiles has created a documentary novel that will put you right alongside Franny as she navigates a dangerous time in both her history and our history. 

Return to Virgin River

 

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Robyn Carr

Women's Fiction / Romance

320 pages

Published October 13, 2020 by Mira

Kaylee Sloan’s home in Southern California is full of wonderful memories of the woman who raised her. But the memories are prolonging her grief over her mother’s recent death. A successful author, Kaylee hoped she could pour herself into her work. Instead she has terrible writer’s block and a looming deadline.

Determined to escape distractions9505403

9505403

6846448646 and avoid the holiday season, Kaylee borrows a cabin in Virgin River. She knows the isolation will help her writing, and as she drives north through the mountains and the majestic redwoods, she immediately feels inspired. Until she arrives at a building that has just gone up in flames. Devastated, she heads to Jack’s Bar to plan her next steps. The local watering hole is the heart of the town, and once she crosses the threshold, she’s surprised to be embraced by people who are more than willing to help a friend—or a stranger—in need.

Kaylee’s world is expanding in ways she never dreamed possible. And when she rescues a kitten followed by a dog with a litter of puppies, she finds her heart opening up to the animals who need her. And then there’s the dog trainer who knows exactly how to help her. As the holidays approach, Kaylee’s dread turns to wonder. Because there’s no better place to spend Christmas than Virgin River.

My Thoughts:

It is hard to top the first few books in the Virgin River series. I fell in love with Mel and Jack, Preacher and Paige, and Brie and Mike and loved it when I could visit Virgin River again through Kaylee's eyes. Kaylee has lost her mom and has a complicated relationship with her dad. She's come to Virgin River to grieve and to hopefully write again. But life is what happens when you are busy making plans! 

This is a stand alone book, but readers who are not familiar with the series will be a little lost with all the names and couples that are referenced. I *have* read the whole series and I occasionally had to reference previous books so I could remember who was being talked about.  Kaylee's and Landry's story was lovely to read. It was believable and I was pretty surprised by the bump in their road to romance. The only thing that I didn't find to be believable was how fast Kaylee got over her fear of dogs. But that is getting pretty picky. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a light read or an escape to the pine scented mountains of Virgin River. 

A big thank you to #RobynCarr, #Mira, and #NetGalley for providing a free Advance Reader Copy in exchange for this honest review.

#ReturntoVirginRiver