The Second Summer of the Sisterhood (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, #2)

You can read the same book at two different points in time and come away with totally contrasting opinions. When I first read “The Second Summer of the Sisterhood”, it was immediately after riding on the high created by the first. I had great expectations…eager to know what Bridget, Lena, Tibby and Carmen had cooked up this time. But I came away with a feeling of “umm-yeah-okayy”. Then the slump took an upturn with Girls In Pants: the Third Summer of The Sisterhood, which made me write a glowing review and be quite scathing about the middle-child!

But today, in my slightly whimsical mood, The Second Summer turned out to be “yep-SO-true!!”. The four disparate friends are back for a second season of reaping the magic of “The Traveling Pants”.

Bridget ‘Bee’ decides to take a breather and head off to Alabama, the home of her estranged maternal grandmother. She needs to have questions of her deceased mum answered and decides that the best way to do so is go incognito (which isn’t hard considering that she has put on oodles of weight and dyed her glorious hair a muddy shade of brown).

Carmen has to digest the unpalatable fact that her divorced mum is falling in love, can be as giggly as a giddy-headed teenager AND has the absolute temerity to borrow THE PANTS for a date!!

Tibby has headed off to Williamston College for a film-course. In a typical attempt to impress two seemingly-cool classmates, she ignores good but geeky friend Brian and makes a documentary ridiculing her mum.

Lena who was madly in love with Kostos the past summer has promptly broken up with him. Severing ties seems to be much better than dealing with the uncertainites of love.

Predictable agony, stress and nail-bed damage. But there’s also a sense of stoic acceptance.....the need to change and for the better. The friends make mistakes, act appallingly, realise their shortcomings and continue to bolster each other’s sagging spirits.

On the whole, a fat satisfying read for those days when you need something dramatic and yet not over-powering.

For reviews on the other Sisterhood books, please click on the following links:

> The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants

> Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of The Sisterhood

> Forever in Blue : The Fourth Summer of The Sisterhood

Brida

All I could conclude after reading Brida was that either I am a complete heathen or singularly incapable of feeling stronger emotions. Because, I still fail to see what all the hype is about. There I go picking up another Paulo Coelho ("The Alchemist" being my only yardstick to go by), hoping to come away enlightened, charmed, awed or any of the numerous adjectives that generally pepper a Coelho review.

What my pea-sized brain gathered from the blurb was that the book was about overcoming your fear of commitment, searching for love despite all the pitfalls that you have already faced and basically never stop looking.

Reality (as always) turned out to be something else entirely. The book is infact about a young girl Brida's initiation into the wiccan world. Her quest for knowledge and search for her soulmate are often accompanied by pagan rituals, bouts of introspection and the occasional trip into a past life. Somewhere along the line, things get a bit repetitive and tedious.

The only quotes that I liked and made sense in an otherwise rambling narrative:

Nothing in the world is ever completely wrong. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day" ~ Brida's father (Pg.99)

"What is now proved was once only imagin'd" ~ William Blake (Pg.174)

"I learned that the search for God is a Dark Night, that Faith is a Dark Night. And that's hardly a surprise really, because for us each day is a dark night. None of us knows what might happen even the next minute, and yet we still go forwards. Because we trust. Because we have Faith." ~ Brida (Pg.24)

Island of the Aunts

Island Of The Aunts is Eva Ibbotson's magical, sea-side fantasy with an environmental message.

Three oddball aunts; Etta, Coral and Myrtle live on a secret island.....caring for a wide variety of animals ranging fom ordinary chickens to mystical creatures like selkies, boobries and even a family of abandoned, oil-slick mermaids. But managing the ever-increasing meanagerie is a full-time job and the aunts aren’t getting any younger.

So the best option seems to be to kidnap some children and bring them to the island. Without any malice whatsoever in their hearts, the three aunts capture a child each. Initially two of the children (Fabio and Minette) are scared, but the magic of the island and the multitude of animal life soon drives away their fears. They grow to love the island as their own and are as fiercely protective of each creature as the aunts themselves.

The aunts on their part, treat the children with affection and a firm hand. But the black spot in the whole scenario is the third captive, an obnoxious brat called Lambert who refuses to chip in and generally buzzes around like a irritating wasp. Things take an ugly turn when Lambert manages to get in touch with his father Mr.Sprott, whose money grubbing nature views the island as a golden egg waiting to be exploited. A struggle between good and the downright nasty ensues.....with many an unpleasant surprise.

This is an ideal book for animal lovers and the message of environmental protection is slipped in without any sanctmonius preaching. Eva Ibbotson’s delicious writing style is loaded with her usual nuttiness and charm. The unlikely heroines (the aunts) are lovable in their eccentricities. The animalia is rich and varied and exhibit emotions so diverse that it’s hard not to empathise . As for the villians.....they are black through and through with not a smidgen of grey. You absolutely love to hate them and can’t wait to see justice meted out.

In all…a simple story with a deep message. One of Ibbotson’s finest and a definite must-have for all you nature-friendly people out there.

The Wedding Planner's Daughter

Willafred ‘Willa ’Havisham is a 12 year old, cherry –cordial eating, book-reading, idealistic youngster. Her widowed mum, the beautiful Stella Havisham is a reputed wedding planner. But despite the romanticism of her chosen profession, Stella is stern and unbending. Losing her husband straight after the wedding night has left her embittered and brutally practical. Her life and Willa’s (unfortunately) are run by a set of strict rules. Stella has great expectations for Willa which do not involve waiting around for Prince Charming. Running from deeper emotions herself, the slightest whiff of a serious romance has Stella reaching for her set of red trunks and traipsing off to a new place…with the reluctant Willa in tow.

Never staying long in a single place, Willa rarely has the time to lay down roots and form lasting relationships. Her only solace lies in her books and the characters between the pages who seem to make reliable friends. Every birthday, as she blows out the candles, she wishes for the same thing: a father and the chance to settle down, once and for all. And every year, it seems that she could probably be the worst wisher ever in the history of candle-blowers!

But the tides are finally changing. Mother and daughter move back to their hometown – Bramble. And the sleepy líl seaport is littered with friends waiting to be made. Willa’s candy-making Nana; Mr.Tweed, the elderly book-store owner who calls Willa his kindred spirit and always has a book kept warm for Willa under his dozing cat; the gregarious Sulamina Mum, brighter than a peacock and always ready with a hug and quirky advice; Tina, the potential best-friend-in-the-making; Joseph Francis Kennelly (JFK), the cute boy who always has a shy, dimpled smile ready for Willa.....and best of all the new next-door neighbour Sam Gracemore, a handsome poet and Willa’s new English teacher. He seems to be perfect father-material and is smitten by the lovely Stella. To Willa’s delight, the feelings are reluctantly reciprocated.

But will Stella stick it out or run scared again? As Willa and the town-folk play cupid to the fledgling romance…….we get a tantalising glimpse into the charm and warmth of a small-town and it’s people. Murtagh weaves in the magic of the salty air, the cobble-stoned paths, the tinge of the setting sun, the feel of grainy sand between your toes, the taste of melting chocolate, the tartness of cherries and the romanticism of a night sky littered with sparkling stars.

The story could very well be the definition of heart-warming. Even the seemingly-sappy moments make you smile and have you rooting earnestly for Willa and her match-making efforts. With a lot of well-meaning homilies adroitly woven into the plot, you come away with a feeling of being inspired as well as entertained.

A perfect read for a drizzly day and a must-add on every pre-teen’s summer reading list.

The Secret of Platform 13

My foray into the mad, crazy world of Eva Ibbotson continues!

Platform 13 at London Station has remained shut for a very long time. But any attempts to make renovations always....always get botched up. The reason being that Platform 13 hides a "gump" : an opening to a secret, utopian island. It is a blissful place, ruled by a well-loved King and Queen and plays home to all kinds of humans, animals and magical creatures. However the gump opens once in nine years for nine hours only. So anyone who wants to crossover needs to be super-quick and get the journey done in the limited time period.

Tragedy strikes when the new born prince of the island is kidnapped by a rich, nasty lady called Mrs.Trottle, on a trip into London city . And since this happens just when the gump is about to close, the devastated baby-sitters have no option but to return empty-handed to the island. The grief-stricken islanders have to wait for another nine years before they can launch a rescue operation.

Finally the long wait is over and a search party comprising of the ancient wizard Cornelius, a sweet-tempered fey Gurkintrude, a yodeling gentle giant Hans and a small but willful hag Odge Gribble heads off to recover the lost prince.

Reaching the prince’s (who now goes by the name of Raymond Trottle) new home, the search party is delighted to meet a perfectly charming, well-behaved boy. But to their disappointment, he turns out to be just a servant-boy. The real “prince” infact has grown into a spoilt, over-weight, arrogant child. Rescuing the podgy, shrieking brat proves to be a Herculean task and the story proceeds with a lot of drama, mayhem and a multitude of intriguing characters.

Predictable though the story maybe and not as spontaneously funny as "Which Witch", ........"The Secret of Platform 13" is nevertheless entertaining and happily caters to all fantasy-world lovers.

Which Witch?

Arriman the awful, Grand Poobah of all things nasty and mighty dark wizard of the North has had many happy years of blighting, smiting and wrecking a great deal of havoc. But there comes a time when even the darkest of wizards gets tired of the "monotony" and wants to pass on the mantle to a more sinister and deserving wizard.

The great hunt begins and Arriman creates a kindly, three-headed monster called the "Wizard Watcher" for the task. But with not even the faintest squeak of a dark wizard from any direction, Arriman decides that marriage would be the only way to create a suitable heir to carry on his illustrious heritage. Here's the tiny blip in plans......a wizard can only marry a witch and the local witches are a disastrous motley of the weird and the frightfully whacky! Covered with warts in unmentionable places, swarming with maggots, cackling evilly....they fulfil every "witchy" stereotype!

A contest will be held and the winner will be Arriman's blushing new (*shudder*) bride. The contestants are to be judged on their skill, finesse, imagination and grandiosity in executing their black magic. But among the brood of harridans is a single, lovely witch; Belladonna. Blue-eyed and golden-haired, Belladonna has always been a white witch. She could put a dozen Disney Princesses to shame with the goodness of her heart and generosity of spirit. She longs to be dark and dreary like the rest of her coven and be a powerful, black witch.....something that would make her an ideal wife for Arriman. And to help her achieve this goal are a líl orphan boy: Terrence Mugg, his pet earthworm: Rover and Arriman's long-suffering but obliging staff.

A hilarious book which embraces all things dark and sinister and revels in the ghoulish and the gory, "Which Witch" is a fine treat for all Potter fans. After tut-tutting over Voldemort's antics, it's nice to have an endearing, dark wizard like Arrimann. Despite his magnificent powers, he is basically a normal man quailing in his boots at the prospect of waking up every morning to a wart-covered, slime-wrapped, shrieking witch of a wife!!

Laugh-out-loud and a definite treat for children (and adults) who never lose their fascination for magic and mayhem.

NEW SOUL by Yael Naim

Yael Naim’s quirky ballad “NEW SOUL” is my current flava-of-d-month. A happy, cheesy feel-good number……it’s all about new beginnings, the uncertainties and the mistakes we inevitably make.

Sunny, bohemian, charming...you name it, the song has it all!

GIRLS IN PANTS : The Third Summer of The Sisterhood (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, #3)

The third installment of the Sisterhood Saga is much brighter and upbeat than the previous book. The four friends have become more pro-active, accepting and willing to take the gigantic leap into adulthood. It’s their last glorious summer together before they head off to their respective colleges and their new lives.

The world as they know it is slowly shifting on it's axis, changing continuously and extending beyond their control. Carmen has to face her mum’s imminent pregnancy coupled with her summer job of babysitting Lena’s cantankerous and recently widowed grandmother, Valia. Lena needs her parents’ support and approval regarding her decision to join Art School. Tibby is plagued with feelings of guilt when her kid-sister falls out an open-window and fractures her skull. And mad, impulsive Bee discovers that old, unrequited crush Eric is her fellow coach at the soccer camp.

Departing from the whiny note of ‘Second Summer of The Sisterhood’, this book has an echo of maturity. It dwells on the strengths of the four individual girls as they handle each complex situation with uncharacteristic aplomb. And then of course, they have the power of their friendship.....bolstering and pushing or ensconcing them comfortably ......as the situation demands.

For reviews on the other Sisterhood books, please click on the following links:

> The Sisterhood of The Traveling Pants

> The Second Summer of The Sisterhood

> Forever in Blue : The Fourth Summer of The Sisterhood

What with everyone waxing poetic about their dads on the occassion of Father's Day, this strip kind of gave mums their place in the limelight too! :)

The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book #3)

A distress call from best-friend, the satyr Grover sends young demi-god Perseus Jackson (son of Poseidon) on his new mission. Accompanying him are his friends Annabeth (daughter of Athena) and Thalia (daughter of Zeus). Grover has discovered two powerful new half-bloods of unknown parentage and they need to be escorted safely back to Camp Half-Blood.

Little do the unsuspecting demi-gods know that they are merely pawns in a dark and dangerous plot. The Titan lord, Kronos is slowly but surely reassembling. His latest recruit Luke is putting together a horrifying army of mythical monsters. The clash between the Titans and The Olympians is teethering on the brink. Adding to their woes is the fact that an ancient monster has risen…a monster so powerful, it could lead to the downfall of the Olympians. And the only person, who can track this creature down; the goddess of the Hunt, Artemis is M.I.A.

Entering into a reluctant truce with the Hunters of Artemis, Percy and gang launch into unknown territory yet again. Guided by an ambiguous prophecy, they have to find the new beast and recover Artemis before the Winter Solstice. Their path is obviously strewn with danger, but what lies at the end of the journey : The Titan's Curse, is something which could very well put all previous adventures to shame.

Continuing in the vein of the previous two books, Percy remains an endearing hero.....reluctant but ready to do the “right” thing. The prose is light and uncomplicated. No long ramblings here.....the plot is clear and well-defined leaving enough room for future instalments. Interesting new characters are the Goddess Artemis,a 12 year old; auburn haired goddess who never ages……her brother Apollo, the ever-so-cool Sun God with his penchant for quoting haikus….and the seriously scary General, the head of the Titans’ army.

Definitely a fine read and a wonderful way to learn more about Greek myths, gods, goddesses and the fine soup they manage to land themselves into occasionally. All in all, reinforcing the fact that Gods do indeed have feet of Clay.