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2024 Bookish Books Reading Challenge (Hosted by Yours Truly)

My Progress:


29 / 30 books. 97% done!

2024 Literary Escapes Challenge

- Alabama (1)
- Alaska (1)
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International:
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My Progress:


51 / 51 states. 100% done!

2024 Historical Fiction Reading Challenge

My Progress:


41 / 50 books. 82% done!

2024 POPSUGAR Reading Challenge


35 / 50 books. 70% done!

Booklist Queen's 2024 Reading Challenge

My Progress:


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

2024 52 Club Reading Challenge

My Progress:


50 / 52 books. 96% done!

2024 Build Your Library Reading Challenge

My Progress:


35 / 40 books. 88% done!

2024 Pioneer Book Reading Challenge


16 / 40 books. 40% done!

2024 Craving for Cozies Reading Challenge

My Progress:


21 / 25 books. 84% done!

2024 Medical Examiner's Mystery Reading Challenge

2024 Mystery Marathon Reading Challenge

My Progress


16 / 26.2 miles (3rd lap). 61% done!

Mount TBR Reading Challenge

My Progress


35 / 100 books. 35% done!

2024 Pick Your Poison Reading Challenge

My Progress:


90 / 104 books. 87% done!

Around the Year in 52 Books Reading Challenge

My Progress


52 / 52 books. 100% done!

Disney Animated Movies Reading Challenge

My Progress


123 / 165 books. 75% done!

The 100 Most Common Last Names in the U.S. Reading Challenge

My Progress:


73 / 100 names. 73% done!
Thursday, January 30, 2014

Another Tender Tale From An Author Who Always Knows Just How to Touch My Heart

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

Lucy Emery should be excited about her new home on the shore of a beautiful New Hampshire lake.  She's never lived by the water before.  It's a lovely spot, but the 12-year-old's nervous about starting over in a new place.  She's not looking forward to a long, friendless summer, let alone beginning school without knowing a soul.  It doesn't help that her mom's busy working and her dad, a famous nature photographer who promised her lots of father/daughter adventures in New Hampshire, is already off on another out-of-state assignment.

When she discovers that her dad's judging a children's photography contest, Lucy thinks she may have found the perfect way to kill two birds with one stone—not only will the photo scavenger hunt fill up her empty summer days, but maybe, she can use her pictures to convince her dad to pay more attention to his daughter. With the help of her new friend, Nate, Lucy goes in search of photo-worthy vistas.  As she shoots the lakeside with its sparkling waters, towering mountains, and endangered loons, she finds not just beauty, but also a terrible truth.  Revealing it could destroy the only friendship she's got.  Does Lucy dare tell Nate what she knows?  How will the knowledge affect his family?  And what about the photography contest?  If Lucy doesn't win, how will she keep her own relationships intact?  As Lucy battles with herself over what to do, she'll discover even more startling truths—about friendship, family and, ultimately, about herself.

Cynthia Lord has a knack for creating tender, uplifting stories about kids grappling with everyday challenges.  Her newest, Half a Chance, is no exception.  As in her other books, Lord populates this one with likable characters who earn both our sympathy and our admiration.  She moves them around in a rich, atmospheric setting while putting them through their paces.  It's difficult not to care about the outcome of a tale with such a richness of people and place.  I definitely cared.  Half a Chance isn't my favorite Lord book (that would be Rules), but it's still a lovely, poignant story by a writer whose books never fail to touch my heart.  

(Readalikes:  Hm, I can't really think of any.  Can you?)

Grade:


If this were a movie, it would be rated:  


To the FTC, with love:  I received a finished copy of Half a Chance from the generous folks at Scholastic.  Thank you!

3 comments:

  1. Yea for a good uplifting read. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh yeah I loved Rules. I need to check this one out

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oooh, this looks cute, I may just have to put this on my TBR! (:
    XO, Kristi

    ReplyDelete

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Murder is Bad Manners by Robin Stevens

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