Oh, my heavens, I don’t even know where to start with this book! It was just the best. History, romance, suspense. It’s one of my favorite kinds of books. I liked the way it was written, it was almost like it was in third person, yet it was in first person. (Does that sound weird? It’s sort of hard to explain.) I was a little confused by the cover, because it gives the impression that the book is more of a Middle Grade contemporary love story, rather than a MG historical fiction, with a little crush in the mix. But either way, I loved the story!

Title: The Romeo and Juliet Code

Series: The Felicity Bathburn series #1

Author: Phoebe Stone

Publisher: Arthur A. Levine Books

Publication date: January 1, 2011

Source: borrowed from the library

Synopsis: A sudden trip to a seaside house. A boy with brown sugar eyes. And then , a mysterious letter.
Felicity’s glamorous parents have a secret. When they leave her with distant relatives in Maine, far away from the battles of WWII, Felicity hopes they won’t be gone for long. Her new Uncle Gideon hides things. Her Aunt Miami is star-crossed. And Derek, a kid her age, refuses to leave his room.
But Felicity needs Derek’s help. Gideon is getting coded letters from Felicity’s parents, and she’s sure they’re in trouble. Can Felicity crack the code, heal the family and save her parents, all while surviving her first crush? It’s a tall order for a small girl, but Felicity is up for the challenge.

So, the book is a historical fiction. I mean really, the cover and description are so vague. At first, by the cover, I thought it was a contemporary, like I said, and then I was thinking “Oh, WWII, maybe it’s a flash-back sort of thing,” but it’s not. And it’s not all lovey-dovey, either. So there’s that. The cover is just all wrong.

But the story is all right. Sooo many mysteries, and then I didn’t even know something was a mystery until the end and it was just crazy good. Felicity (or Flissy, as her family calls her), is sent to live in Maine with her American relatives while her parents go back to London, closer to the war. And you know what? I’m really liking the British perspective. Between this one and Finding Ruby Starling, I really want to read more books set in England!

The historical aspect of the book is perfect. From the mentions of seeing the newspaper headlines to give the reader a feel for what’s going on, and Felicity sending and receiving a letter from President Roosevelt, it’s not so in-your-face, but it also plays the main role in the story.

Flissy’s crush was so sweet, as well. As I said, it’s not a romance, but then at the end you get a little feeling that there’s something between Felicity and Derek, but they’re eleven and twelve, so it’s not going to be anything big. Just enough to make your heart swell. 😉 (Another misleading thing… the title. There actually is a Romeo and Juliet Code, it’s not just referring to Felicity’s crush.)

The ending was wonderful. I was flabbergasted, really. Some threads were still left undone, but I give it the benefit of the doubt, because there is a sequel. (Which I am SO SO SO excited to read! (*Squeeeee!!*)

5 stars!

So what do you think of The Romeo and Juliet Code? Sound good?

Dear Opl completely knocked my socks off. The book is, as Shelley Sackier describes, “a humorous look at grief, obesity, and diabetes.” It really is exactly that. I was pleasantly surprised at Opl’s witty, sarcastic humor on some heavy topics. The book addressed many things, yet kept me laughing out loud!

Title: Dear Opl

Author: Shelley Sackier

Publication date: August 4, 2015

Source: e-ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy) from Netgalley

Synopsis: After two years of hiding beneath a sugar-laden junk food diet meant to soothe the bitter loss of her dad, thirteen-year old Opl Oppenheimer is told she’s gained so much weight she’s pre-diabetic and now must start weighing far more than she ever bargained for.
There are three things that keep Opl busy during her eighth grade days: fighting the new “mock meat and healthy colon” cafeteria cooks, attempting to crush a celebrity chef’s reputation because he slings mud on any food that tastes good, and finding a pair of jeans that still fit. What she doesn’t count on is needing time to win back her best friend, illegally employing a penniless ex-rodeo clown, and solving the problems of teenagers who write in for advice on her blog. Finding room to fit everything in is proving as impossible as following her mom’s ridiculous diets. Only now, Opl has no choice. It’s do or die. How Opl determines what it is she’s truly hungering for and how to fill herself and her world is the heart of this timely, contemporary novel.

There were two things that bothered me about the book, so I’ll start with those, so that we can end on a good note. =)

1: In the beginning of the book, Opl really bothered me. She showed no interest in shedding her weight, even when she got the news that she was pre-diabetic, and was completely rude to her one good friend. While she was hilarious, and I did love the humorous insight to the issues the book addresses (grief, obesity, friendship, diabetes), at times her humor came off as sarcastic and whiny. She could also be ignorant, and there were parts of the book that made her sound dumb.

2: Opl’s little brother, Ollie, confused me. Opl doesn’t completely pay attention to her brother, but does mention the fact that he’s always dressed up in some costume or another: Lady Gaga, Mrs. Clause, ER nurse. This wasn’t explained at all, and I wasn’t sure to make of it since it didn’t seem to have to do with the story at all. At the end of the book, this is explained, and it made perfect sense. But for most of the book, Ollie sort of had me scratching my head. He was just sort of there, but unexplained.

Not too many low points, but they did turn me off. Now, let’s move onto the pro’s!

1: Just like another book I’ve recently read, Finding Ruby Starling, I loved Dear Opl‘s positive view of the internet. It was neat, reading about a thirteen-year-old girl who blogs, in a book! (Of course, I could relate to Opl on that note!) Opl’s friends and family encouraged her to blog, and I loved seeing how blogging became an outlet to Opl, a safe place where she could share her thoughts and get feedback from others.

2: Opl craves food. All the time. So much, this book is one of the few that’s made me SERIOUSLY HUNGRY! I loved the character development in Dear Opl, and Opl’s food cravings played a big role in that. As she decides to eat healthier and become more active, this slowly fades away, yet the focus on what Opl is really hungering is perfectly written and addressed, and I loved that.

3: Alfie Adam. Mr. Adam is the British chef determined to change the way people eat, one country at a time. (He plays a real-life Jamie Oliver in the book.) Opl’s opinions on “The Grunch” (Grinch + Lunch) had me rolling my eyes and laughing all at once. I remember watching Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution with my family when it was on TV. Watching some of the kids in the schools absolutely refuse to try any new healthy food, even after seeing how the junk food they eat is processed, had me dropping my jaw – completely grossed out! I couldn’t even begin to understand those kids. (My family and I can go on sugar spikes, but for the most part, our pantry is full of organic cereals and whatnot.) So now I got to read from the perspective of one! I loved it.

4: So many topics, all in one book. Just to name a few: Obesity. Diabetes. (Health, in general.) Loss. Grief. Seventh-grade friendships. Bullies. Acceptance. Family. And a lot more. They all touched on each other, and everything wrapped up to blend one story together. No loose threads were left hanging.

All-in-all, Dear Opl was a fantastic read, and I think I’ll buy the book once it comes out, since I enjoyed it so much!

3 stars! (A few main flaws, but overall enjoyable!)

Would you like to read Dear Opl when it debuts in August? Have you read anything that sounds similar?