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3.87 AVERAGE
3.87 AVERAGE
Enjoyed this book- fairly easy read, but kept my interest and a very compelling story about a teen girl dealing with issues of race in the south in 1932.
I loved this book so much. I could not get to the next books in the series fast enough. Jessilyn's attitude is so much fun to read about. She is never dull.
2019 REREAD:
I loved this series when I first read it, when I was around Jessilyn's age in the first book. I loved her and I learned a lot about racism in the 1930's and about the Ku Klux Klan. Now, it's been four years since I first read the series, and I have to say, that it isn't the kind of book I would completely love now if I hadn't read it first when I was younger. Jessilyn is so immature, especially for a thirteen year old. Her parents still refer to her as their 'baby' which is ridiculous.
At the same time, Jessilyn talks a lot about how she's growing into a woman, but at the same time, she doesn't listen to people, pokes in business that isn't hers, and she hides important things from her parents. She gets in a messy situation with one of the town's members of the KKK, and she doesn't tell her parents about a lot of those interactions because she doesn't want her dad to worry about it, but she's in a dangerous position.
She also fancies herself in love with Luke, who is six years older than her. Now, I've read this series, and Jessilyn is much older by the third book, and I really love her relationship with Luke. However, I think it's okay if Jessilyn wants to fantasize about being in love with Luke, even though he's nineteen (she's thirteen), but to think that he would like her back is a little bit silly. I'm okay with their relationship when Jessie is older, but for now, it is just silly and she gets mad when she sees Luke talking to another girl, and at this point, their relationship is so unrealistic, and she is way too immature in this book for Luke to even consider feelings for her.
Anyways, I still think that it was enjoyable but mainly because I already know these characters and I know that the series gets so much better when Jessie is older and has some more sense to her.
2019 REREAD:
I loved this series when I first read it, when I was around Jessilyn's age in the first book. I loved her and I learned a lot about racism in the 1930's and about the Ku Klux Klan. Now, it's been four years since I first read the series, and I have to say, that it isn't the kind of book I would completely love now if I hadn't read it first when I was younger. Jessilyn is so immature, especially for a thirteen year old. Her parents still refer to her as their 'baby' which is ridiculous.
At the same time, Jessilyn talks a lot about how she's growing into a woman, but at the same time, she doesn't listen to people, pokes in business that isn't hers, and she hides important things from her parents. She gets in a messy situation with one of the town's members of the KKK, and she doesn't tell her parents about a lot of those interactions because she doesn't want her dad to worry about it, but she's in a dangerous position.
She also fancies herself in love with Luke, who is six years older than her. Now, I've read this series, and Jessilyn is much older by the third book, and I really love her relationship with Luke. However, I think it's okay if Jessilyn wants to fantasize about being in love with Luke, even though he's nineteen (she's thirteen), but to think that he would like her back is a little bit silly. I'm okay with their relationship when Jessie is older, but for now, it is just silly and she gets mad when she sees Luke talking to another girl, and at this point, their relationship is so unrealistic, and she is way too immature in this book for Luke to even consider feelings for her.
Anyways, I still think that it was enjoyable but mainly because I already know these characters and I know that the series gets so much better when Jessie is older and has some more sense to her.
Valent's coming-of-age novel is set in 1930s Virginia. I have loved novels like this -- teenagers battling society's views of different things. I was almost sad for the novel to end. Valent has developed her characters so well that I wanted, craved, to know more about their story. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that she has two followup novels and I can't wait to read them!
I really did not expect to like this book as much as I did but it totally sucked me in. I was invested in the characters, and the story really brought to life the helplessness many must have felt in the early 20th century South, being targeted by the KKK. The ending was a bit anti-climactic, but the plot kept me there, and there were a few twists.
This book put me in mind of "Fried Green Tomatoes" in a good way. I'm definitely picking up the rest of the series.
Wow! I really enjoyed this read. At first it was a bit slow but then it picked up and I couldn't put it down. The Author really captured the slang and terminology of the south in the 1930's. I found myself talking like I had an accent after reading this. I have family from the south so I slip into the dialect from time to time without reason but reading this made it come out full force.
I'm interested in reading the next book. I didn't even know it was a trilogy until I was almost through this one. Jessilyn makes you want to read her story and now her life. She is likable and a person you want on your side in a fight. She is fierce and loyal. I really hope that everything works out for her and Luke eventually and that her and Gemma's friendship/sisterhood continues to grow. Looking forward to book 2.
I'm interested in reading the next book. I didn't even know it was a trilogy until I was almost through this one. Jessilyn makes you want to read her story and now her life. She is likable and a person you want on your side in a fight. She is fierce and loyal. I really hope that everything works out for her and Luke eventually and that her and Gemma's friendship/sisterhood continues to grow. Looking forward to book 2.
The premise of this book is good - white family takes in a black orphan and catches hell for it because it's pre-Civil Rights south. Where things derail is in the telling of the story - the dialogue sounds like it's been pulled from a Dick and Jane primer AND there are many not-so-subtle religious references that made me wonder if this might be found on the "Christian Teen" bookshelf at the bookstore. Good idea, flawed execution.
Very enjoyable. Reminded me of To Kill a Mockingbird. Racism in the South. A little murder-mystery thrown in.