The Bookish Island: Family

Showing posts with label Family. Show all posts

5/10/2018

Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt | Book Review #102

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel by Kimberly Willis Holt

Are there spoilers?

A few ones may have escaped me.

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Title: Blooming at the Texas Sunrise Motel

Author: Kimberly Willis Holt

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Pages: 336

Publisher: Henry Holt

Published: 20l7

Genre: Middle Grade, Fiction, Family, Childrens

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Source: Borrowed.

Date Read: Nov. 21, 2017

Rating: ★★★★★

Twelve-year-old Stevie's world changes drastically when her parents are tragically killed and she is forced to live with her estranged grandfather at his run-down motel. After failed attempts to connect with her grandfather, Stevie befriends the colorful motel tenants and neighbors. Together, they decide to bring some color and life to the motel by planting a flower garden, against Stevie's grandfather's wishes. It will take Stevie's departure before her grandfather realizes just how needed she is by everyone.

The Rating:

My Review:

Stevie lost both her parents when car hits their produce stand. Leaving her alone, till she finds out she will be sent to live with her grandfather. Someone she knows little about. He lives in Texas where he lives in and runs a small motel. There she meets Mrs. Crump her elderly tutor, and fellow tutoree, Frida. Violet, the head house keeper, Roy, the handyman's son And long term residents, Horace and Ida. Then she gets to visit her fathers sister and her family. Finding out somethings about her parents that her grandfather wouldn't tell her.

I loved the characters. All of them seemed to stand on their own and in their own way they influenced Stevie's life in a good way. Of course Roy was very adorable as a character. And throughout the book Stevie grieves by gardening and wanting to help those around her. Finding out things about her parents along the way and getting along with her grumpy quiet grandfather.

This is a well written book with great characters and although its slow I enjoyed every page.

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2/14/2018

When We Were Sisters by Beth Miller | Book Review #91

The Bookish Island's Book Review:
When We Were Sisters by Beth Miller

Are there spoilers?

I don't really think so.
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This is one of the books I read after the passing of Hurricane Maria here in Puerto Rico. With no water, electricity or internet I took to reading my books.

I decided to not do this for the books I've read on 2018. But it has been 4 months since Hurricane Maria. And I'm happy to announce that now we have water, and electricity.

Title - When We Were Sisters
By - Beth Miller
Publication - May 1st, 2015 by Ebury Press

Copy - Paperback, 400 pages

Genre - Humor, Fiction, Family, Woman's Fiction

A funny, poignant debut about female friendship and dysfunctional families

I never think of Laura as my stepsister, but that's what she is.

Once they were the best of friends, inseparable as only teenage girls can be. That is until Miffy’s Jewish father ran off with Laura’s Catholic mother and both of their families imploded—as well as Laura’s intense relationship with Miffy’s brother. 20 years later, they’re all about to meet again.

The Rating:

My Review:

Started this book on November 1, 2018.
I finished reading this book on November 7, 2018.

I've had this book for years and never got to it. But I read it in a week or so and learned that I didn't get anything that was happening. Not only did the main character have a weirdness to her but she didn't get how weird she was being. She thought it was okay to break a solid marriage that her stepbrother had with his wife because they used to date before he was her stepbrother. Plus, her mother was crazy manipulative and when she was confronted she acted innocent which is even crazier. I just didn't get anything that was going on in this book. But I liked it. So I gave it 3 stars.