Stephanie didn’t answer. Then I noticed she was curled up on her bed, facing away from the doorway.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
She
sat up and wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, staring at me
with a shocked look on her face. “Didn’t you hear the same fight I just
heard? Aren’t you upset? What if they get a divorce Diana?”
Genre: Realistic Fiction
Target Audience: Girls 13-18
Subjects: Blended Families, Sibling Relationships, Divorce, Truth, Temptations
Summary: Seriously? Now that they’re finally a close family and things have settled down into familiarity? Now their parents are considering a divorce? When Stephanie’s Dad and Diana’s Mom go away from the weekend to attend a marriage counseling seminar the girls are extremely worried. They’ve both been through this once already and have no desire to do so again. The girls are left with Diana’s grandparents for the weekend, but neither one is really all that okay with the plan, especially Stephanie. She finally convinces her mom to let her come and stay with her for the weekend, only to have her mom back out and leave her home alone with Matt – the stepbrother who made her so uncomfortable she moved out in the first place! Diana is fine staying at her grandparents – but not alone. She secretly invites a boy she’s starting to become interested in to come hang out as well and manages to get time alone with him. Meanwhile, uncomfortable alone with Matt, Stephanie arranges to attend a party – a party that gives even more reasons for discomfort! And Diana finds another wild animal hurt and in need of care. How much trouble can the sisters find in a single weekend? And what will happen to their home with their parents return?
Notes: This is the fifth in the Sisters In All Seasons series. The series is about two sisters who are part of a blended family. Both have parents who have divorced. Diana’s mother has married Stephanie’s father. Both of their other parents are still around and in the picture, although not as much. The sisters are extreme opposites in personality and interests. Diana’s focus is on animals – she finds people hard to deal with due to her lack of effort to “fit in” and her willingness to say exactly what she thinks at any time. Stephanie’s focus in on people – animals scare her. Stephanie’s weakness is trying so hard to get along with anyone that she doesn’t always say no to things she knows she should – whether it be to Diana or friends.
This book shows both girls taking some steps towards teenage rebellion as well as maturity. They both make some bad choices to intentionally deceive the adults and get into some dangerous situations as a result. They are also wrestling with the fear of divorce. It took a couple years to get adjusted to this new family and now they are facing the possibility of it being torn back apart. In fact, Diana claims she will never get married due to all she has seen and how hard it is for her to have good relationships with people.
The spiritual emphasis in this book is in a few lines revealing what Diana is thinking in regards to spiritual things. “I still wasn’t sold on the idea of going to church. I didn’t know where I was in my relationship with God. My nonexistent relationship with God.” There really isn’t any discussion or conveying of truth. This book is just like the others in the series – merely portraying a girl with doubts. It doesn’t do anything to answer those doubts – just acknowledges their existence.
Spiritual Content Recommendation Scale: 1/5
Reviewer: J:-)mi
1 Corinthians 13:12-13 – When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
James 1:4 - Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Thank you to the author and publisher for providing me with a free review copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I appreciate it!
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment