Hello everyone! It is time for my three book round up of mini-reviews! This grouping of books could really describe me as a reader; cozy, fantastical, nostalgic. And it includes my favorite book that I read in May, The Faraway Inn!

Let’s start with that one.

First, I love this cover. Second, I loved this book. It is different than Durst’s Spellshop series, but still has that cozy, whimsical feel. This one is YA, and revolves around Calisa, who is a high schooler. It is summer break and she just had a bad breakup with her long time boyfriend, and wants an escape. So her moms send her to aunt’s inn in Vermont, which they describe as magical, but not magical in the magic sense, if you get my drift. However, Calisa arrives and the place is barely standing, it is so run down. She immediately bumps into a handsome young man about her age, and learns that he is the groundskeeper’s son, and that he has been holding down the fort single handedly really while his dad is out of town. She also learns that her aunt is not enthused she is there. She sets out to prove herself by putting the Inn back together, bit by bit. I love to watch people organize and clean on YouTube, and I found that even reading about it was relaxing and satisfying to me. Lol. Calisa also soon finds out that there is more than meets the eye to The Faraway Inn, and that there just might be some magic left after all.

I loved the characters, the Inn, the whole story. It was a five star read for me.

Next, we have Jane of Lantern Hill. I would rank this on near the bottom of the L.M. Montgomery list of books that I have read, but that does not mean that it was bad or that I didn’t like it. It still had all the wonderful nature writing and a strong female protagonist that we have all grown to love about Montgomery. Jane Victoria learns that her father, whom she has believed is dead, is very much alive. Although her grandmother might wish he was, or considers him so. Jane has grown up as Victoria, a formal name for her formal life that she has never felt she fit into. When she finally meets her dad, and lives with him for an enchanted summer on PEI, or the Island, she finds herself and develops all the confidence that was just brewing under the surface. My only complaint about this book is that both of her parents seem to be under the thumb of a domineering family figure in their life, her father less so but he is still blind to the manipulative nature of that character, and I don’t feel like there was any sort of…comeuppance is the word I am thinking but that is not the right one. There is no reckoning, no resolution. I didn’t like that they were sort of wimpy, and that Jane was more adult than her parents.

Other than that, I loved this book. Ok, one more exception. Of course the cats. Watch out, there are a few triggers with cats in this one but they are quick.

Four stars.

Now let’s move on to Bridge to Terabithia. Spoiler alert if you don’t know what happens in this book.

My niece, Mermaid Girl, and I were talking about books the other day, and she told me that this is her favorite book. She also asked me if I had read it. I mentioned the other day that I have avoided this book like, 40 years, because of how sad it seemed to me. So I had to tell her that no I hadn’t read it. She asked me if I would, so that we could discuss it, and of course I said yes. How could I not? I immediately ordered a copy on Pango and read it when it arrived. And yes, it was terribly sad! Not just the big event sad, but the overall poverty and sadness that emanates from the supporting characters most of the time, the beat downess by life of Jess’ parents, the standoffishness of Jess’ dad towards him. And I think that was my favorite part in the book, the interactions between Jess and his dad, AFTER Leslie dies. The small gestures between them, his dad resting his hand briefly on his shoulder, and then this passage.

“His father stroked his hair without speaking. Jess grew quiet. They both watched the water. Finally his father said, ‘Hell, ain’t it'” and I felt this scene to my core. My own father is an emotional guy, not afraid to show his feelings but I did grow up in an era where a lot of dads didn’t. They weren’t hard men, but it was difficult or not done. So this moment seemed huge.

This book was just very well-written as well. Katherine Paterson is gifted and can transport you in just a few words. I also loved this part.

“It was up to him to pay back to the world in beauty and caring what Leslie had loaned him in vision and strength.”

What a hopeful way to look at such a tragedy.

And just an FYI, Katherine Paterson is still alive at 93.

Four and half stars.

Have you read any of these? What did you think?