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The Mother-Daughter Book Club #5
Home for the Holidays
This Christmas season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of holiday-themed adventures! Becca, Megan, Emma, Cassidy and Jess have plenty of reading material to bring on their trips, too, because the book club is tackling the Betsy-Tacy series before their next meeting on New Year’s Eve.
But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls. On a Christmas cruise with their families, Megan and Becca fight over the dashing son of the ship's captain. Cassidy and her family fly back to California to visit Cassidy's sister Courtney... but when the West Coast causes homesickness for their former life in Laguna Beach, the family begins to question what state they should call home. And a disastrous sledding accident causes both Emma and Jess to completely change their holiday plans.
Between squabbles, injuries, and blizzards, everything seems to be going wrong. Will the girls be able to find their holiday spirit in time for Christmas?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 4, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 358 reviews
January 14, 2022
There are few things more fun than reading a Christmasy installment of a cozy and nostalgic series during the appropriate season.
Sure, it might be more fun if it were one of your FAVORITE installments of the series, and not in your bottom few, but beggars can't be choosers and really you (meaning me) are sounding a little picky and spoiled right now.
I reread the first few books in this series over the course of a couple years, and then binge read the remaining four or so in less than two weeks. That's how good of a time I was having. That's how much this series soothed me.
Bottom line: They're just fun and sweet and good! Even the ones where they're getting older and things are less fun and sweet and good.
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pre-review
filled with cheer or whatever
review to come / 3 stars
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currently-reading updates
let's say i've been saving this book for this specific season, and definitely just haven't gotten to it for over 2 years
clear ur sh*t book 47
quest 21: a book with a group cast
Sure, it might be more fun if it were one of your FAVORITE installments of the series, and not in your bottom few, but beggars can't be choosers and really you (meaning me) are sounding a little picky and spoiled right now.
I reread the first few books in this series over the course of a couple years, and then binge read the remaining four or so in less than two weeks. That's how good of a time I was having. That's how much this series soothed me.
Bottom line: They're just fun and sweet and good! Even the ones where they're getting older and things are less fun and sweet and good.
-----------------
pre-review
filled with cheer or whatever
review to come / 3 stars
-----------------
currently-reading updates
let's say i've been saving this book for this specific season, and definitely just haven't gotten to it for over 2 years
clear ur sh*t book 47
quest 21: a book with a group cast
November 16, 2011
BEST. BOOK. EVER. I am curled up with my Betsy-Tacy Afghan and a box of tissues. Not because the book is sad! Because I am so happy! And a dork, but what can you do??!!
Summary: Loved it. Loved all the BT references. Technically, by adding the 5th girl, I found it harder to follow which girl was narrating each chapter. It would have been helpful to have the narrator's name on the top or bottom of each page, so an easy glance would remind you if Emma or Cassidy or whomever was talking. Also, adding Becca's voice meant less of the other 4 girls' voices. So I felt less connected with their thoughts and feelings, than at the end of other books. And there were so many new characters in California and New Hampshire that I could have used a character road map. So it was slightly more confusing overall, but still a sweet, warm book worth millions of re-reads and perfect for gift giving!
Summary: Loved it. Loved all the BT references. Technically, by adding the 5th girl, I found it harder to follow which girl was narrating each chapter. It would have been helpful to have the narrator's name on the top or bottom of each page, so an easy glance would remind you if Emma or Cassidy or whomever was talking. Also, adding Becca's voice meant less of the other 4 girls' voices. So I felt less connected with their thoughts and feelings, than at the end of other books. And there were so many new characters in California and New Hampshire that I could have used a character road map. So it was slightly more confusing overall, but still a sweet, warm book worth millions of re-reads and perfect for gift giving!
September 28, 2011
Home for the Holiday is the penultimate book in one of my favorite middle grade series, the Mother Daughter Book Club. We've been with these girls since they were eleven years old. Now they're fifteen turning sixteen. The book club goes on. The club even grew from four daughters to five. Now the girls consist of Emma, Cassie, Jess, Megan, and Becca.
Each book in the series is set during a different year in the girls' lives. In a slight twist, Home for the Holidays took place during the first half of the girls' sophomore year in high school. The next book, I assume, will constitute the second half. The book club is reading the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. So wonderful! These are some of my favorite books. I am so happy that Ms. Frederick is exposing a new generation of readers to these classic tween/teen novels.
The best part about Home for the Holidays is the addition of Becca's point of view. The story alternates from each girl's point of view. Until now, Becca was the only member of the club excluded. I assume this is because she was a later addition to the club and also tends to be a popular mean girl. Now we have the opportunity to understand her better. Becca is sassy and somewhat mean, even in her internal chatter, but her good heart and general good intentions are more clear when seeing the world through her eyes. Becca is arguably the main character of this novel, since the main (although not the only) crisis plot point - that her father lost his job - involves her.
As usual, the book's plot very loosely follows the trajectory of the book club's chosen novel, or novels in this case. Much like Betsy and her Crowd, there is great emphasis on friendship, having fun, and boys. Influenced by Betsy In Spite Of Herself, the characters all travel over Christmas. This is where the problems start. Fighting, fighting, fighting. Ms. Frederick always does a good job of assigning flaws to otherwise likeable characters. The alternating points of view make the arguments even more interesting (and frustrating) since the reader knows what each character is thinking but the characters suffer from mistaken impressions or say things that we know they internally regret.
Home for the Holidays is another fun installment of the Mother Daughter Book Club. While I wanted to knock the girls' heads together occasionally and get them to stop fighting, mostly the book is pure reading pleasure. I loved the incorporation of the Betsy Tacy series. I continue to admire Ms. Frederick for using 16 year old girls as the main characters in a middle grade series, making their lives realistic of the many teens who lead fairly tame, clean lives without alienating either older or younger readers.
Rating: 4 / 5
Each book in the series is set during a different year in the girls' lives. In a slight twist, Home for the Holidays took place during the first half of the girls' sophomore year in high school. The next book, I assume, will constitute the second half. The book club is reading the Betsy Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace. So wonderful! These are some of my favorite books. I am so happy that Ms. Frederick is exposing a new generation of readers to these classic tween/teen novels.
The best part about Home for the Holidays is the addition of Becca's point of view. The story alternates from each girl's point of view. Until now, Becca was the only member of the club excluded. I assume this is because she was a later addition to the club and also tends to be a popular mean girl. Now we have the opportunity to understand her better. Becca is sassy and somewhat mean, even in her internal chatter, but her good heart and general good intentions are more clear when seeing the world through her eyes. Becca is arguably the main character of this novel, since the main (although not the only) crisis plot point - that her father lost his job - involves her.
As usual, the book's plot very loosely follows the trajectory of the book club's chosen novel, or novels in this case. Much like Betsy and her Crowd, there is great emphasis on friendship, having fun, and boys. Influenced by Betsy In Spite Of Herself, the characters all travel over Christmas. This is where the problems start. Fighting, fighting, fighting. Ms. Frederick always does a good job of assigning flaws to otherwise likeable characters. The alternating points of view make the arguments even more interesting (and frustrating) since the reader knows what each character is thinking but the characters suffer from mistaken impressions or say things that we know they internally regret.
Home for the Holidays is another fun installment of the Mother Daughter Book Club. While I wanted to knock the girls' heads together occasionally and get them to stop fighting, mostly the book is pure reading pleasure. I loved the incorporation of the Betsy Tacy series. I continue to admire Ms. Frederick for using 16 year old girls as the main characters in a middle grade series, making their lives realistic of the many teens who lead fairly tame, clean lives without alienating either older or younger readers.
Rating: 4 / 5
February 28, 2017
I love this book! I love the romance between Darcy and Jess, and between Emma and Stewart, and even between Cassidy and Zach. I love the Holiday spirit, from the tears of joy, and the cry of laughter. I also love that Becca now has her own chapter in the book, and I love that they have now transformed Pies & Prejudice into a real cafe. This book is one of those feel-good books that never gets old! Long live the Mother Daughter Book Club!
June 14, 2023
this one i read soooo fast w my sis! we are FAST readers hahaha! it was fun but less enjoyable then the others! i don’t have the rest of the books yet, they are coming in a couple weeks 😭
so looks like i’ll have to pick a new one to read!!
so looks like i’ll have to pick a new one to read!!
June 8, 2017
*** Warning: This review contains spoilers! ***
While all the books of this series have involved boys to some extent, this book seemed to veer away from the "coming of age" gestalt that characterized earlier books and more towards "chick lit". There was just an awful lot about boys in this book, what with Jess and Emma having boyfriends, Cassidy finally being interested in boys, and Becca and Megan fighting over a boy.
Of course, this being the fifth book in the series, I'm already invested in the characters, so it wasn't hard to keep reading, even when I felt disappointed. I really liked that Becca finally got her own chapters in this book. She's a complex character, and I surprise myself when I say that she's probably my second-favorite character after Cassidy, who matured a lot in this book.
Mrs. Chadwick continued to float around the edge of the friendship circle. I really disliked that she was still being portrayed as being petty and jealous. Frankly, in my opinion, she was the only one keeping it real! If all my friends were constantly gushing over another friend who was just the perfect cross between Heidi Klum and Martha Stewart, I'd probably spend a lot of my time rolling my eyes, too! And, in a group of well-educated middle-to-upper-class suburbanites, Mrs. Chadwick was the only person to question the prudence of a college sophomore getting engaged!?
In all the books so far, the girls' crushes didn't always work out, but any romance angles had happily ever after endings. In this installment, I liked that one of the girls was finally unlucky in love. Yes, it was a shame, but it was also a more realistic portrayal of teenage romance, and anyway, I didn't think she deserved him anyway! Unfortunately, the true-to-life pull-yourself-together-after-a-break-up lesson didn't really fly because apparently, the whole time, she was just waiting by the phone to be at the beck and call of the boy, in case he changed his mind! The book had a chance to show young female readers how one could handle a break-up in a healthy, self-respecting, and empowered way - but then it blew it. Though Becca didn't go through an actual break-up, her pragmatic move-on attitude was much more admirable.
This book definitely had more conflicts than previous books in the series, and I liked that even though everyone traveled over the holidays, no one had the kind of amazing, over-the-top, perfect-in-every-way experience that was so common in earlier books. This time around, the girls really fought, and we finally saw the rocky side of friendships. As I said before, I think Cassidy is now my favorite character (initially I preferred Emma), and I liked how in this book, she kind of stayed above the fray of the fighting. I liked, too, that Cassidy was fully aware that she didn't have a BFF the way Jess and Emma were best friends, or Megan and Becca, but she was okay with that. I'm sure there are plenty of young readers who would identify with that part of Cassidy.
So, overall, while I liked the character development of Becca and Cassidy, I wasn't too fond of Megan's character, and all the conflicts were just too boy-centered for my tastes. Admittedly, though, I'm sure most 15-year-old girls do spend most of their time obsessing over boys, and I'm glad that this book did drive home the "best friends before boyfriends" message.
While all the books of this series have involved boys to some extent, this book seemed to veer away from the "coming of age" gestalt that characterized earlier books and more towards "chick lit". There was just an awful lot about boys in this book, what with Jess and Emma having boyfriends, Cassidy finally being interested in boys, and Becca and Megan fighting over a boy.
Of course, this being the fifth book in the series, I'm already invested in the characters, so it wasn't hard to keep reading, even when I felt disappointed. I really liked that Becca finally got her own chapters in this book. She's a complex character, and I surprise myself when I say that she's probably my second-favorite character after Cassidy, who matured a lot in this book.
Mrs. Chadwick continued to float around the edge of the friendship circle. I really disliked that she was still being portrayed as being petty and jealous. Frankly, in my opinion, she was the only one keeping it real! If all my friends were constantly gushing over another friend who was just the perfect cross between Heidi Klum and Martha Stewart, I'd probably spend a lot of my time rolling my eyes, too! And, in a group of well-educated middle-to-upper-class suburbanites, Mrs. Chadwick was the only person to question the prudence of a college sophomore getting engaged!?
In all the books so far, the girls' crushes didn't always work out, but any romance angles had happily ever after endings. In this installment, I liked that one of the girls was finally unlucky in love. Yes, it was a shame, but it was also a more realistic portrayal of teenage romance, and anyway, I didn't think she deserved him anyway! Unfortunately, the true-to-life pull-yourself-together-after-a-break-up lesson didn't really fly because apparently, the whole time, she was just waiting by the phone to be at the beck and call of the boy, in case he changed his mind! The book had a chance to show young female readers how one could handle a break-up in a healthy, self-respecting, and empowered way - but then it blew it. Though Becca didn't go through an actual break-up, her pragmatic move-on attitude was much more admirable.
This book definitely had more conflicts than previous books in the series, and I liked that even though everyone traveled over the holidays, no one had the kind of amazing, over-the-top, perfect-in-every-way experience that was so common in earlier books. This time around, the girls really fought, and we finally saw the rocky side of friendships. As I said before, I think Cassidy is now my favorite character (initially I preferred Emma), and I liked how in this book, she kind of stayed above the fray of the fighting. I liked, too, that Cassidy was fully aware that she didn't have a BFF the way Jess and Emma were best friends, or Megan and Becca, but she was okay with that. I'm sure there are plenty of young readers who would identify with that part of Cassidy.
So, overall, while I liked the character development of Becca and Cassidy, I wasn't too fond of Megan's character, and all the conflicts were just too boy-centered for my tastes. Admittedly, though, I'm sure most 15-year-old girls do spend most of their time obsessing over boys, and I'm glad that this book did drive home the "best friends before boyfriends" message.
July 1, 2019
THE BEST BOOK SERIES IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. I CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF THIS. SO AMAZING. READ IT Y'ALL. READ THEM ALL!
Recommended ages 13 & up.
(and yes i read it in 2 days. i would hv read it in 1 day, but i wanted 2 savor it)
Recommended ages 13 & up.
(and yes i read it in 2 days. i would hv read it in 1 day, but i wanted 2 savor it)
December 21, 2024
its that time of year, friends. better than ever.
January 2, 2023
Okay, yeah, this one doesn't totally hold up. I think nostalgia did most of the heavy lifting, because this time around I wasn't quite as charmed by all the teen-girl drama (I generally don't like that phrase, but the events of this book epitomize it) and heteronormative tropes. But still, this is a light and ultimately feel-good read if you can get past its failings that scratched my holiday-read itch.
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[2019 review]
3.5 stars
While this is far from my favorite in the series, it's still a great nostalgia read — lots of references to previous books, with brief explanations in case the reader has forgotten (though these are more infodump-y than incorporated into the narrative); totally believable friendship and romantic drama, even if it is fairly tropey; just enough plot to keep things interesting as we check in with characters we've watched grow up over several years.
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CONVERSION : 10.4 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 4 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
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[2013 review]
Soooooo much drama. Realistic and relatable, of course, just like the Betsy-Tacy books seem to be. Still Team Tristan, Zach's cute but idk man. Simon's an idiot; I'd say Megan deserves better but, well, if he makes her happy. Pretty great debut for Becca, a great reminder that even the "mean girl" is a person too, with her own dreams and struggles.
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[2019 review]
3.5 stars
While this is far from my favorite in the series, it's still a great nostalgia read — lots of references to previous books, with brief explanations in case the reader has forgotten (though these are more infodump-y than incorporated into the narrative); totally believable friendship and romantic drama, even if it is fairly tropey; just enough plot to keep things interesting as we check in with characters we've watched grow up over several years.
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CONVERSION : 10.4 / 15 = 3.5 stars
Prose: 6 / 10
Characters & Relationships: 7 / 10
Emotional Impact: 7 / 10
Development / Flow: 4 / 10
Setting: 8 / 10
Diversity & Social Themes: N/A
Intellectual Engagement: N/A
Originality / Trope Execution: 3 / 5
Rereadability: 5 / 5
Memorability: 4 / 5
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[2013 review]
Soooooo much drama. Realistic and relatable, of course, just like the Betsy-Tacy books seem to be. Still Team Tristan, Zach's cute but idk man. Simon's an idiot; I'd say Megan deserves better but, well, if he makes her happy. Pretty great debut for Becca, a great reminder that even the "mean girl" is a person too, with her own dreams and struggles.
December 23, 2021
Great to read in the holidays
February 1, 2020
I am thoroughly enjoying these books, and love following these girls throughout their lives.
December 27, 2023
i don’t care if i’m 9, 19, or 90. i will always love this series
December 11, 2024
Rating: 4.5
I've read this before, and I love this series!!!! It is sooo cringy, but in a comfort book kind of way. These characters feel so special to me and I wish there were more books so that I could read more about them. Sometimes the characters do stuff that really annoys me, but that's kind of like real life. If you haven't heard of this series, please read it!!!
I've read this before, and I love this series!!!! It is sooo cringy, but in a comfort book kind of way. These characters feel so special to me and I wish there were more books so that I could read more about them. Sometimes the characters do stuff that really annoys me, but that's kind of like real life. If you haven't heard of this series, please read it!!!
October 30, 2011
Emma, Jess, Cassidy, Megan, Becca and their mothers are all back for a new season of the Mother-Daughter book club. This season the girls and their mothers will be reading the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace. Since they will all be in different places for the Holidays they decide that they will celebrate together on New Year's Eve.
The girls have picked names among themselves to be Secret Santa to. As each girl opens their gifts each day they are disappointed in their Secret Santa. It seems that their Secret Santa does not know them at all. When the "big reveal" on New Year's Eve comes around tempers are right under the surface.
Becca and her family spend Christmas on a cruise with Megan and her family. Becca's family has a secret that they do not want to share with anyone until after the Holidays. Becca can only think of how this secret affects her.
Megan's boyfriend has just broken up with her over email. She is heart-broken, but when she meets Phillipe the captains son she thinks that maybe life will go on.
Jess is disappointed as she was going to spend the holidays in Switzerland. An unfortunate accident keeps her in the States. When her aunt and uncle invite her family to come to their hotel in New Hampshire they decide to go there.
Emma is invited to go with Jess and her family. Her parents let her go, but she finds that it is not as fun as she thought it would be to be away from her family during The Holiday.
Cassidy and her family go out to California. Her step-father Stanley has a job offer that could take them back to California(where they lived before moving to Concord). Cassidy had longed to go back to California, but now she has established her home in Concord and is not sure that she want to move again.
Through all of the bumps and trials the girls' family and friendships stand the tests of time. I absolutely love The Mother-Daughter book Club series and recommend it as a great read for young girls. My daughter is 19 and when we got this new book in the mail she was so excited! She wanted to read it before I got to it, but was gracious enough to allow me first dibs! This 5th book was just as good as the 1st and I'm looking forward to future books in the series.
The girls have picked names among themselves to be Secret Santa to. As each girl opens their gifts each day they are disappointed in their Secret Santa. It seems that their Secret Santa does not know them at all. When the "big reveal" on New Year's Eve comes around tempers are right under the surface.
Becca and her family spend Christmas on a cruise with Megan and her family. Becca's family has a secret that they do not want to share with anyone until after the Holidays. Becca can only think of how this secret affects her.
Megan's boyfriend has just broken up with her over email. She is heart-broken, but when she meets Phillipe the captains son she thinks that maybe life will go on.
Jess is disappointed as she was going to spend the holidays in Switzerland. An unfortunate accident keeps her in the States. When her aunt and uncle invite her family to come to their hotel in New Hampshire they decide to go there.
Emma is invited to go with Jess and her family. Her parents let her go, but she finds that it is not as fun as she thought it would be to be away from her family during The Holiday.
Cassidy and her family go out to California. Her step-father Stanley has a job offer that could take them back to California(where they lived before moving to Concord). Cassidy had longed to go back to California, but now she has established her home in Concord and is not sure that she want to move again.
Through all of the bumps and trials the girls' family and friendships stand the tests of time. I absolutely love The Mother-Daughter book Club series and recommend it as a great read for young girls. My daughter is 19 and when we got this new book in the mail she was so excited! She wanted to read it before I got to it, but was gracious enough to allow me first dibs! This 5th book was just as good as the 1st and I'm looking forward to future books in the series.
July 16, 2020
This is the best one out of the seires.
These are the ranks.
1 Home for the holidays
2 Much ado about Anne
3 Dear Pen Pal
4 The mother daughter book club
5 Wish you were eyre
I read a lot of Pies and Prejudice but it wasn't good and I didn't finish it.
These are the ranks.
1 Home for the holidays
2 Much ado about Anne
3 Dear Pen Pal
4 The mother daughter book club
5 Wish you were eyre
I read a lot of Pies and Prejudice but it wasn't good and I didn't finish it.
November 9, 2011
I really wanted to like this a lot, but it didn't really do it for me. At first, I couldn't understand why I didn't like it more, because all the references and things the characters loved I love. (Skating, England, Jane Austen and, of course, all things Betsy-Tacy.) I boiled it down to two major objections. First, the voice of each character sounded exactly alike. I had to check who was narrating each chapter multiple times and that was annoying. It's not enough to just have one character who's the athletic one and one who likes writing and one who likes shopping. They all seemed like the same person. The second major flaw was the big "mystery" was so lame I guessed it in a second. Usually, I'm gullible and let the author take me wherever, but this was too easy and it certainly wasn't enough to carry the whole book. I gave it three stars for referencing all the things I love.
December 30, 2015
It's Thanksgiving, Christmas and New years at the Mother Daughter Book Club and everyone has somewhere to be from a cruise with the Chadwicks and the Wongs to a trip to California and more. But when disaster strikes between the girls, will their gifts to each other and the lessons they learn from the Betsy-Tacy books help them out? Read on and find out for yourself.
This was a pretty good read and I am looking forward to reading the final book in this series soon. Be sure for the rest of the Mother Daughter book club books at your local library and wherever books are sold.
This was a pretty good read and I am looking forward to reading the final book in this series soon. Be sure for the rest of the Mother Daughter book club books at your local library and wherever books are sold.
December 17, 2011
Great fun to see the five heroines (and their families!) of this series reading Betsy-Tacy! While it was difficult at times to distinguish between the characters, the author's love of her craft and her appreciation of Maud Hart Lovelace made this book a delight to read.
October 14, 2021
not my favorite one
August 29, 2019
I love this series. I’m officially emotionally invested in these girls 😊
“We’ve talked about it, and both of us agree that we can’t help it - when we read a book, it’s like we’re actually living in the world that the author has created, and we start viewing our lives from the point of view of the characters.”
So that’s pretty much life ... I’m Emma. In all the good ways Ana all the not so good ways.
“Reading is the antidote to a great many troubles.”
I love how much Cassidy has matured with all the changes in their family she took everything happening so well.
Jess/Darcy ... Emma/Stewart ... Cassidy/Zach ... Megan/Simon 💕 kind of dig these cute teen romances.
Enjoyed the Christmas theme even if I read it in August but I love the Christmas ornament gift exchange and the progressive New Years dinner.
“We’ve talked about it, and both of us agree that we can’t help it - when we read a book, it’s like we’re actually living in the world that the author has created, and we start viewing our lives from the point of view of the characters.”
So that’s pretty much life ... I’m Emma. In all the good ways Ana all the not so good ways.
“Reading is the antidote to a great many troubles.”
I love how much Cassidy has matured with all the changes in their family she took everything happening so well.
Jess/Darcy ... Emma/Stewart ... Cassidy/Zach ... Megan/Simon 💕 kind of dig these cute teen romances.
Enjoyed the Christmas theme even if I read it in August but I love the Christmas ornament gift exchange and the progressive New Years dinner.
May 24, 2022
I'm glad we finally got to hear from Becca's perspective in this one! That's about the only new thing I have to say. I still think conflict is handled well and the girls are growing and learning! I also liked that this one revolved completely around the holidays.
December 7, 2023
To me this book wasn't as good as the rest of them, I didn't like all the fighting and the separate vacations they all had.
July 5, 2024
3.5⭐️
July 9, 2023
I was tempted to give this book three stars but I decided on four because it was kind of fun to read at times, though everyone kind of just argued the whole time with each other and there was a lot of mis communication throughout the whole book which is fine but it gets a little old towards the end. I did really love pies and prejudice, which is Gigi’s new tea shop, and parts of the girls different vacations were fun to read!
January 2, 2023
I picked up this book because I LOVE Betsy - Tacy. Older me still rereads Betsy books most every year. They stand the test of time.
Read a couple of Chapters of this book and just couldn't care about teenage girl drama. Ended up skimming and reading just the Betsy - Tacy bits. It's just too juvenile for me.
Also have the previous book Pies & Prejudice will give it a chance next Austen in August
Read a couple of Chapters of this book and just couldn't care about teenage girl drama. Ended up skimming and reading just the Betsy - Tacy bits. It's just too juvenile for me.
Also have the previous book Pies & Prejudice will give it a chance next Austen in August
December 28, 2015
MAYBE - Anne is reading it.
This is a sold 3 1/2 star book. I didn't LOVE it. I probably wouldn't put it into my daughter's hands...but I enjoyed it.
Let's start with what I liked about it:
*It's set in New England at Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years. For someone who reads books because of where they are set and when they take place, it really doesn't get much better than that!
*It reads like a Babysitter's Club/Horse Club book and took me right back to the types of books that I flew through when I was really young.
*The bookclub theme...The "fun facts" and "fun facts to go" that the librarian Mom prepared for everyone. What's NOT to love? This section made me want to read the entire series and the books mentioned in each one. :)
*The small section on Hanukkah and sufganiyot(it was like two pages worth). For whatever reason, I've been really interested in learning more about the what's and why's of Hanukkah this year. Sufganiyot keep coming up EVERYWHERE. I AM going to learn to make them!
*The scenes that take place at the Eidleweiss Inn. I wouldn't mind a reservation there!
*The way the bookclub members all think back over the last five years...I've been doing the same thing and can't help but think that 2016 really will be the beginning of a new chapter and a new stage of life.
*The one girl (whose name I'm SPACING right now) who loves writing. It's no surprise to me that I related to her the most or that I was totally in love with the fact that her dad saw to it that one new book got added to her "writing shelf" each year.
What I didn't like:
*The whole teenage drama thing. Frederick captures it PERFECTLY, but I didn't like it when I was a teenage girl and I don't like reading about it either. It's one of those things that IS out there, but I firmly believe that it doesn't have to be. As far as I'm concerned, the less it's encouraged and tolerated, the less it will be flourishing in the lives of our daughters.
*The teen dating scene...Really?!?! They're all of 15. No teenager's parents should allow or encourage this kind of behavior...And with older boys?!?? I can still remember when one of my friends was banned from hanging out with an older boy by her parents because he was "too old" and she came to thank her parents for their decision later on.
There ya have it. One book that I got from the CHILDREN'S section of the library and ALLLL of my thoughts about it.
Now...Have YOU heard of or read the Betsy-Tacy series that serves as the bookclubbers read throughout the course of this book?
This is a sold 3 1/2 star book. I didn't LOVE it. I probably wouldn't put it into my daughter's hands...but I enjoyed it.
Let's start with what I liked about it:
*It's set in New England at Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years. For someone who reads books because of where they are set and when they take place, it really doesn't get much better than that!
*It reads like a Babysitter's Club/Horse Club book and took me right back to the types of books that I flew through when I was really young.
*The bookclub theme...The "fun facts" and "fun facts to go" that the librarian Mom prepared for everyone. What's NOT to love? This section made me want to read the entire series and the books mentioned in each one. :)
*The small section on Hanukkah and sufganiyot(it was like two pages worth). For whatever reason, I've been really interested in learning more about the what's and why's of Hanukkah this year. Sufganiyot keep coming up EVERYWHERE. I AM going to learn to make them!
*The scenes that take place at the Eidleweiss Inn. I wouldn't mind a reservation there!
*The way the bookclub members all think back over the last five years...I've been doing the same thing and can't help but think that 2016 really will be the beginning of a new chapter and a new stage of life.
*The one girl (whose name I'm SPACING right now) who loves writing. It's no surprise to me that I related to her the most or that I was totally in love with the fact that her dad saw to it that one new book got added to her "writing shelf" each year.
What I didn't like:
*The whole teenage drama thing. Frederick captures it PERFECTLY, but I didn't like it when I was a teenage girl and I don't like reading about it either. It's one of those things that IS out there, but I firmly believe that it doesn't have to be. As far as I'm concerned, the less it's encouraged and tolerated, the less it will be flourishing in the lives of our daughters.
*The teen dating scene...Really?!?! They're all of 15. No teenager's parents should allow or encourage this kind of behavior...And with older boys?!?? I can still remember when one of my friends was banned from hanging out with an older boy by her parents because he was "too old" and she came to thank her parents for their decision later on.
There ya have it. One book that I got from the CHILDREN'S section of the library and ALLLL of my thoughts about it.
Now...Have YOU heard of or read the Betsy-Tacy series that serves as the bookclubbers read throughout the course of this book?
March 15, 2012
This, the 5th installment of The Mother-Daughter Book Club series, covers the fall/winter of the girls' sophomore year in high school.
This time part-time "mean girl" Becca Chadwick lends her narrative to the story. Yes, this girl is a snot. But WHY is she a snot? WHY does she act the way she does? Through her own voice we are given another dimension to the Mother-Daughter Book Club experience.
The book club selection this time around is the "Betsy-Tacy" series by Maud Hart Lovelace. (This is pretty much the first time I have heard of these books outside of a minute long conversation whereby they are mentioned in the movie "You've Got Mail". This is surprising to me because they are considered classics in children's literature and have been around since the 40's. How can I not have read them?!)
Again, Heather Vogel Frederick does a fantastic job of interweaving references from the book club selection into conversations her characters are having. She also echos things that are going on within the book being read in the girls' own lives, showing the relevance of classic stories in the lives of modern girls.
And, yet again, after reading another installment in this series I am moved to go out and read (or re-read) the book club selection myself.
3/15/2012 Wow! I am loving the Betsy-Tacy books! I'm on book 5 now and plan to finish the series. Props to H.V.F. for introducing this series to a whole new generation of readers!!!
This time part-time "mean girl" Becca Chadwick lends her narrative to the story. Yes, this girl is a snot. But WHY is she a snot? WHY does she act the way she does? Through her own voice we are given another dimension to the Mother-Daughter Book Club experience.
The book club selection this time around is the "Betsy-Tacy" series by Maud Hart Lovelace. (This is pretty much the first time I have heard of these books outside of a minute long conversation whereby they are mentioned in the movie "You've Got Mail". This is surprising to me because they are considered classics in children's literature and have been around since the 40's. How can I not have read them?!)
Again, Heather Vogel Frederick does a fantastic job of interweaving references from the book club selection into conversations her characters are having. She also echos things that are going on within the book being read in the girls' own lives, showing the relevance of classic stories in the lives of modern girls.
And, yet again, after reading another installment in this series I am moved to go out and read (or re-read) the book club selection myself.
3/15/2012 Wow! I am loving the Betsy-Tacy books! I'm on book 5 now and plan to finish the series. Props to H.V.F. for introducing this series to a whole new generation of readers!!!
September 16, 2016
Home for the Holidays
By Heather Vogel Frederick
There are 5 main characters, Becca, Megan, Jess, Emma, and Cassidy.
The chapters are in the point of view of a different character and then it repeats. Each chapter ends in a conflict or a resolution with each character.
The themes that I picked out were friendship and love because each characters chapters had either a friendship problem or a love problem. Then it would be resolved by the opposite, like if there was a love problem it would be resolved by friendship.
This is an easy book for middle through high school girls to relate to, because the friends all have issues that pop up right at that age. The main idea is to find that special group where you know you are loved.
Heather includes the 21st century technology, like a smart computer. This means you could read it through all of the 21st century to infinity (if you're like me).
In Becca’s story she has to shop for the hardest person she could ever think of. In Megan’s story she got dumped by her favorite boy ever. In Jess’s story she broke her leg and was sad because someone was taking the blame for her. In Emma’s story she is scared she won’t be able to spend christmas with Jess. And last of all in Cassidy’s story she is worried about leaving home and going back to her old house and she is also worried about leaving Zach, the boy she likes.
April 10, 2012
This Christmas season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of holiday-themed adventures! Becca, Megan, Emma, Cassidy and Jess have plenty of reading material to bring on their trips, too, because the book club is tackling the Betsy-Tacy series before their next meeting on New Year’s Eve.
But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls. On a Christmas cruise with their families, Megan and Becca fight over the dashing son of the ship's captain. Cassidy and her family fly back to California to visit Cassidy's sister Courtney... but when the West Coast causes homesickness for their former life in Laguna Beach, the family begins to question what state they should call home. And a disastrous sledding accident causes both Emma and Jess to completely change their holiday plans.
Between squabbles, injuries, and blizzards, everything seems to be going wrong. Will the girls be able to find their holiday spirit in time for Christmas?
I really enjoyed this book, more so than the other ones in the series, and I'm not quite sure why...
But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as planned for any of the girls. On a Christmas cruise with their families, Megan and Becca fight over the dashing son of the ship's captain. Cassidy and her family fly back to California to visit Cassidy's sister Courtney... but when the West Coast causes homesickness for their former life in Laguna Beach, the family begins to question what state they should call home. And a disastrous sledding accident causes both Emma and Jess to completely change their holiday plans.
Between squabbles, injuries, and blizzards, everything seems to be going wrong. Will the girls be able to find their holiday spirit in time for Christmas?
I really enjoyed this book, more so than the other ones in the series, and I'm not quite sure why...
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