Funny Farm: My Unexpected Life with 600 Rescues by Laurie Zeleski
This lovely memoir combines the thoughtful examination of ‘s life with her mother after she escaped her abusive husband with her kids to create an animal rescue with stories of the animal residents that occupy her farm.
I enjoy the narrative she weaves around her parents, the complexities of having a mother providing such an independent and compassionate role model while also having some pretty big lapses when it comes to the men in her life. Same with her father who continues to be an erractic presence in her life. She also tackles the highs and lows of caring for an elderly parent as well taking over and expanding the farm, providing reason for why we should treat humans and animals with compassion.
The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl by Issa Rae
1. Best Friends and Drama Queens: This was really enjoyable as it was relatable. the new girl, Cheyenne seems super cool and everyone wants to befriend her including Allie and her group. Her stories about Canada (ah the days when you were young and Canada seemed as far away as Europe) and latest fashion make her awe-inspiring and she enjoys the power she weilds over he other girls. She chooses who’s cool and who isn’t and sets Allie in her sights as an immature baby for not wanting a boyfriend yet. I enjoyed the message Cabot sends in learning to stand up for yourself and not bowing to peer pressure as Allie finds comfort in her real friends against Cheyenne’s nastiness.
1. Out of Sight, Out of Mind: This was one of the first big changes in Abby Hayes’ world with Jessica moving to live with her Dad and step-family. Not only is Abby losing her best friend but her other friend, Natalie is drifting away from her leaving Abby isolated and lonely. I really enjoyed the real life lesson here about fading friendships as well as the small sadness at realizing Jessica has truy changed over the months and her old relationships won’t ever be the same. It’s not a big conflict but its a relatable one that I think all kids could connect with at one time or another.
2. Everything New under the Sun: This one is a bit more cliche as Abby encounters her cousin Cleo while staying with her dear old Gram over the summer. Cleo is everything she think she’s not, sophiscated, rich, a total-know it all with a laptop that she’s dying to have. Meanwhile, Cleo thinks she’s a slob, over-talkative and rude. They’re both writers too so they inevitably compeate in their writing program and for their Grandma’s praise. As you can imagine, they learn to find common ground but I think the choice in having them work together on a flip book to be creative and quite funny. Also maybe I have some nostalgia goggles here so its humor and my sentimentality bring it to the top 5.
Just in time for the holiday season, I didn’t get to any Christmas romances but. .
The Matzah Ball by Jean Meltzer
With all those Christmas romances, here’s a Hannakuh surprise! Sort of. Rachel Rubenstein-Goldblatt is a rare Jewish MC with a huge secret. Her bestselling books are Christmas romances. Yes, she’s a Christmas junkie with their reindeer, peppermint sticks and happily ever afters by the fire with a cup of cocoa.
But when her editor suggests she tries a Hannuku romance to reflect her own faith, she comes at a complete block. While Hannakuh is moving, it’s origins and its celebration do not lend itself to mistletoe kisses or any sort of cheer. So she agrees to help at a fundraising “Matzah Ball” in hopes of finding inspiration.
She isn’t expecting to meet Jacob Greenberg, who is doing his best to make the most successful 8-day celebration ever. He certainly wasn’t expecting Rachel to offer to help as they both tightly hold to their summer camp grudges against each other.
While Rachel may not see much to be jolly during Hannakuh, this was a very joyful book. It helps that Rachel and Jacob may hold some bitterness about their ill-fated summer romance and breakup when they were teens, they are able to connect better as adults especially as Rachel reveals her secrets. Not just the Christmas one but her chronic fatigue syndrome that makes 8-day volunteering more than a bit exhautsing but crippling after awhile. Nonetheless, together he helps to cheer her and break through her resentment against herself and her body and her fear that holds her back.
Jacob had his own troubles but honestly, his story kinda faded in the background compared to Rachel. That was a bit disappointing as a good romance in my opinion would make me equally interested in both MCs as an individual and a couple. However, the book is clearly steeped in the traditions of Juddaism, showing that it may not have the iconic sleigh-ball rides with your sweethearts, it does bond family and community.
Even though the idea that these two would still be so hung up on their romance from years seems a bit unbelievable, I enjoyed the premise focusing on a different holiday romance.
1. Out of Sight, Out of Time: One of the things I most admire about this series is that it allows Cammie and the other characters grow, maturing with the plots growing increasingly dark as they grow. This would be one of those instances as Cammie has gone on the run from the terrorist organization, The Circle. The summer is over and Cammie doesn’t remember any of it, she has amnesia. And a good tip has it that she’s been in the Circle’s control during her blackout, she may have killed for them or against them. It’s a lot o trauma and questions for Cammie ontop of an old frenemy coming back from the dead and more secrets of The Circle’s endgame being revealed. It’s just an awesome book.
2. Don’t Judge a Girl by Her Cover: I’d this is when the stakes begin to really amp up for the series as Cammie’s friend, Macey is kidnapped and retrieved but spies are still after her. Questions surrounding the Circle begin to get investigated and the Academy continues to deal with the aftermath of betrayal and when that turncoat returns, whether or not to trust them. Not to mention, we see more of Cammie’s family and the return of Zach whose role in this whole drama is subtly froshadowed.
1. Etiquette & Espionage: Now I’ll admit maybe this series would have been more enjoyable to me if I had read the Parasoul Protectorate first, I mean I was a bit confused that this was steampunk London and vampires/werewolves exist? It was all a surprise but that’s why the first book in the series gets number one spot as the premise of Sophronia being the new girl at Finishing School allows for more exposition and explanation for novices. Plus it’s just fun as it combines feminine and Victorian spy methods which are based on historical fact! Not to mention the wit and the hilairty of the final battle was definately my favorite part.
2. Curtsies & Conspiracies: C&C does get first place because I really enjoyed the lesson here. Sophronia is signaled out as the best agent with like a 99% at a test, leading to high tensions and jealousy from her fellow classmates. Sophronia correctly deduces that this ostracism is another test to see how she can handle the heat but it doesn’t make it any easier. It also has an exciting plot of turncoats, coinciding with mean girl Monique’s debut ball. The same Monique who is suspected at being in the forefront of the Hive, Pickleman, etc. double-crossing. I found this a great blend of spy action and Victorian small-society drama.
3. Manners & Mutinies: I’ll admit the final book had a lot to live up to and since I was still very muddled by this steampunk world the Pickleman Revolt, machanimal hacking and the intricacies of vampire courts and werewolf pack alliances all came about in one big confusion to me. However, it is still a satisfying conclusion revealing Headmistress Geraldine’s true nature, Monique’s true alliances, and Sophronia getting to save the world and her school in one epic blast. 4. Waistcoats & Weaponry: This one gets last place because as much as I enjoy Sidagh and Captain Niall as characters the vampire/werewolf politics felt at once confusing and cliche and I just lost interest compared to the higher stakes of the other books.
1. Nike’s Great Race: This one gets number one because I just love pegasuses. Pegusi? Either way, they’re just so cool and I love the flowy scarfs and such that’s decorated on Nike too. Really, I love the cover illustration. As for the plot, I do enjoy Marta’s story as she defends her family home against rich snobs, showing that determination and hard work is the best way to reach for success even if you’re just a “cattle farmer.”
2. Coral and the Pearl Diver: I love how these books expand on the world of North of North and make each place distinct with its own cultures and traditions. Just like this, the islands of Awdi Salaca which make up Miki’s home and their mainsource of income, pearl diving. But Miki’s community are losing their main source of revenue as well as food with the coral and plant life dying out. It has a good message about pollution and just like with Nike, sea horses are just so cool and beautiful.
Shamal’s Secret: Once again, the varied lands are a source of fascination for me as Shamal’s Treasure brings readers to Autumn Sands, a desert-based land of magic run by the mysterious Desiree. A cult of wolf-riders that are highly revered and hate horses and their Valkyries. Amber is thrilled to be chosen to join their ranks until she meets Shamal and is inexplicable drawn to him. She thinks he’s hypnotizing her as Desiree propganda would suggest but then she finds out all she’s ever known about life was wrong. Now Amber has a choice, Shamal and becoming an enemy to the fierce Desiree cult or staying it safe and delivering Shamal to a certain death.
Harmony’s Journey: What can I say, I love music so a music-inspired story like harmony’s wass always going to make it to the top ten. Plus it has an interesting mystery as the villainous Maestro’s hypnosis music has robbed Lorelei of her memory and her sister. It adds suspense and danger to the story as she doesn’t quite know where she’s going much less how to avoid the shape-shifting crow-man especially when she has such a powerful ally in Harmony who the Maestro is determined to use against her.
Valkrist’s Flight: This was one of the first books that made me cry when I was little. Emma’s lonliness and isolation with her aunt and uncle is palpable as she feels pushed out of her own family’s horse stables whose business is growing more dire. Worse is when she’s blamed for the fire. But this is North of North and magic is present in the air, so it is an exciting adventure as Emma learns more of the Valkyrie lore and the bond between the goddess Sara and her horse, Bella.
1. Kerka’s Book. Kerka is the latest in the line of her family to undergo the journey to Aventurine and wield the Kalis sticks. She’s thrilled as it is a family honor but that adventure is dimmed by the recent loss of her mother and the distance between her and her sisters. In fact, her mission is to recover her younger sister’s voice or else, she may never recover her grief. As always, I love stories with family relationships at the center and Bozarath does a compelling job combining the fairy adventure involving animal spirtis, and tying it with the emotional core, sisters and their different ways people deal with grief and the family bonds that sustain us.
2. Sumi’s Book: Unlike Kerka, Sumi is intially skeptical of her mother’s revalation that she comes from a line of fairy godmothers. But when she ends up in Aventurine, she has to accept that its true and use her newly gifted shape-shifting powers to redeem an evil queen. Sumi was interesting as she’s a bit more flawed than previous protagonists, being dismissive of tradition and focus on superficialities and looking good rather than doing good. That’s why it was so fufilling to see Sumi undergo her character growth by the end of the mission. Plus having shape-shifting powers was an awesome way of challenging her as she’s forced to take on some slimy and ugly creatures but comes to enjoy the freedom and their usefulness in each different animal skill-set.
1. Double Jeopardy: This was such a big change in the status quo. The girls meet their mother for the first time which I appreciate how the authors made it realistic in that it is not all happy and easy. The gils are uneasy with her and actually are more focused on their foster family as Dylan has gone missing. The high speed chase and surprising assistance of Thantos leaves them off balanced. Just as Ileana is with the truth of her father. It is filled with emotional renosance and with Karsh’s death. . . a true tragic, emotional end that changes the game for them forever.
2. Don’t Think Twice: This could be considered a part 1 to the above as it focuses on Cam and Alex’s mission to find their mother. This is where the overarching drama really starts as the allies and anatgonists are more clear to the wins and they knoew a bit more about their past. It also has the trial of the century where Ileana finds out about her own parentage which was a shocking revelation to her though the forshadowing was there all along for a good payoff. Yes, it is a little PSA-esque with its dangers of anorexia but the aformentioned lore and the cliffhanger is worth it.
3. Split Decision: I almost consider this the real ending while book 10 was like an epilogue of sorts. This is because Split Decision deals with the more weighty flaws and challenges the girls have been facing. Alex deals with her continued loss of Sara as well as processing how much she has changed from just a year ago. Camryn also deals with bio family woes and connecting with heritage as well as her romantic troubles that coincide with her eternal struggle between being a witch and being a normal girl. Additionally, Miranda, Thantos and Ileana finally have the big confrontation with their tangled histories and feelings and other minor antagonists are sorted out too. So it feels very full circle, wrapping up these big threads. Plus it has the Coventry Guide which I always find fun to read.
4. Power of Two: This was an excellent first book to a series, cementing the two leads and their different personalities, creating a shocking flip of a dime situation where they meet for the first time and a compelling mystery. Not just the one they’re trying to solve of the mystery of bubblegum pop singer, Marleigh Cooper but the girl’s heritage as things are very shadowy in the first book. Maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s my sentimentality, but reading it is always like reading it for the first time. Full of newness and potential and excitment.
5. Seeing is Believing: One of the first nascent adventures of the girls as they take more control of their powers, this one got to the top five because of its relative importance. Not only does it cement the girl’s do-gooding tendency and the running theme of juggling normal problems like Cam’s BFF issues with Beth and magical danger but it introduces reoccuring antagonist hottie, Shane, hinting to the girls that fighting their whack uncle won’t be easy as they think as his supporters lurk to undermine them.
1. Backstage Pass: Again maybe it’s nostalgia, maybe it’s the rose-tinted glasses but whenever I read this, I fall in love with it all over again so this gets the number one spot. The wit, the fun, the inadverted celebrity jinx Jessica brings to all the guest stars. This was as an excellent introduction into Jessica’s world and how Wilcox cements the shy girl persona of Jessica who cannot get through a conversation without stammering yet she’ll run over George Cloony with a golf cart if that meant helping her sister against an incriminting tabloid rag. Additionally, the burgeoning relationship between Jessica and Jeremy is done well as Jessica subtly increases in confidence when interacting with him, becoming a slightly more confident hot mess around him. But best of all, the mystery is well-done, built up with clues that move it along if you’re observant enough to notice them.
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Rachel Reads & Reviews 