Summer Reading Celebration

As someone who has experience with dealing with people in toxic relationships, this book hit a tad harder than I expected. Freddy's situation is all too familiar. It was refreshing to see her get out of it. Relationships where the people keep breaking up and getting back together are, in my opinion, romanticized far too much, so the author treating it as a bad thing was nice to see.

Really had me guessing until the very end. I must admit, there was quite a twist I never saw coming.

This was a somewhat disturbing book. Disturbing in that if you don't happen to be a person if color, you learn what it is like to live in their world. That it would be so bad you would want to "cross over" is telling of the world I do not know. The fictitious story is set in a small town of very light skinned blacks. They pride themselves on their lightness. Some even have red hair and could be mistaken as being white. But as the author notes, even the boy who looks white is not allowed the same privileges that an actual white person would have. The story follows 2twin sisters born in this town. Their daddy dies young and their mothers struggles to support the family. The girls have to chip in and life is very hard for all of them. One of the twins "crosses over" in order to get a job that pays better so she and her sister can afford to live in the city they have run away to. Eventually her white boss falls in love with her. Will she tell him? What happens to the other sister? There are some rough parts in this book, but I appreciated the over all message it told.

Well written historical novel that portrayals what it might have been like for a woman in the medical profession in England in the 1800's.

** spoiler alert ** I liked this book. I would give it a 2.5 though, not a 3. Was it as good as the first book in the series, no. Was it still entertaining and fun, yes. The plot just wasn't there. Bella and Mina spent the first 20 pages looking for their supernatural roller derby teammates, who were forced to look for a new home. It is not a big town so not sure why they spent months doing it. The next 30 pages cleaning an asylum. They don't even have their first practice back together til 62. Then they immediately have to take part in a to the death showdown playing roller derby and they have 3 measly days to prepare. Not to mention Mina's inter turmoil over fighting with her best friend, dealing with her parents impending divorce AND still being hung up on feelings of not belonging. I'm sorry. You need more than three days to prepare for a roller derby game, human or supernatural. Also, Mina left her little brpther unattended a lot and all she had to do was make sure he had dinner. Irresponsible much amd the parents didn't even question where she was. Maybe being a parent gives me some perspective but, even being out of sorts, these parents lack of concern always concerning at best but negligent at worst. I wanted to read more about roller derby but got a lot more drama than I cared for. However, looking forward to the plot twist with the zombies for the next book

Reading the Dragonslayers' Academy series with my grandson. He likes dragon stories, and this includes a lot of humor.

Isla loves how this book is full of photographs that match up to each different section, so she can learn simple ballet while going through the book.

Magic Tree House series book 20. Read with grandson. He loves these books.

If you are a fan of UFOs and Flying Saucers and government cover ups you will find this book, like the one he wrote about the Bermuda Triangle, interesting reading. He revisited this topic in the 70’s and much has been written since this book was written but this one started it all. It does kind of drag in places and goes off on tangents but it is an easy read and is referenced in more modern texts.

It was such a good book! Can’t wait for Love Arranged.