Skip to main content

Julia, the Secret Keeper by Franky A Brown

By
Brief synopsis (no spoilers)
Julia is a bright independent young adult going to college. She has recently (before the start of the book) been diagnosed with a gluten intolerance (each chapter is named after some gluten-rich food product she misses!). Her family and friends rely on her to hear all their issues and expects her to keep these things to herself, while at the same time not listening to her problems, concerns, or life.

Category
YA, "chic lit"

Why I chose this book
I knew the author when we were teenagers; she advertised her book on social media where I'm connected to her.

My personal opinion (the review)
It was fun and funny. It wasn't deep, although there was character development. Julia's sisters give a lot of comedy to the story in their extreme opposite situations (one being married with children and being very opinionated and involved in public concerns; the other having been divorced several times within the few years following HS graduation and having no ties beyond her immediate family).
It was light reading - easy going - and involved a (very clean) love story.

Warnings (language, violence, "adult" situations, death, etc.)
none ("affair" is mentioned, but there wasn't one that occurred)

Movie rating equivalent
PG

Protagonist description
Julia is smart, slightly whiny about her health condition (I would be too, but she is bitter maybe too often in the book), responsible.

Point of view of story
1st person, Julia

Book length
less than a week

Story flow
good movement

Grammar and spelling issues
maybe 1? if that

Character connection (no spoilers)
I really thought her younger irresponsible sister ("the redneck" of the story) was hilarious as a character, and I have known others in my life like her.

For series:
next book - Julia, the secret blogger

Independent or integral (stand-alone or back story dependent)
independent

Series review as a whole
Have only read the first - the second is just being released this month

If you only have time for one, read: (which one)
so far, my vote is this one

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matheson

By
Summary: Every book needs you to turn the pages. But not every book needs you to tap it, shake it, jiggle it, or even blow it a kiss. Innovative and timeless, Tap the Magic Tree asks you to help one lonely tree change with the seasons. It begins with a bare brown tree. But tap that tree, turn the page, and one bright green leaf has sprouted! Tap again—one, two, three, four—and four more leaves have grown on the next page. Pat, clap, wiggle, jiggle, and see blossoms bloom, apples grow, and the leaves swirl away with the autumn breeze. (Amazon) Attention Span/reading level: Perfect for my three year old. I would say that ages 2-10 would really enjoy something like this. It really keeps kids engaged and makes them feel like part of the story. There is one word to one sentence per page. Good uses for book in teaching: Interaction, that the reader takes part in making the story, what a tree can do (leaves, blossoms, fruit) Favorite part:      Child: The fact that ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Kali's Story: An Orphaned Polar Bear Rescue

By
Summary: Follow the rescue of orphaned polar bear Kali (pronounced Cully) from the Inupiat village of Kali (Point Lay in English) to the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage to his new home at the Buffalo Zoo in New York with Luna, a female polar bear. (Amazon) Attention Span/reading level: I skipped a few details here or there, but was able to read most of it with my three year-old. It's probably meant for kids 5-10 years old.  Good uses for book in teaching: Animal habits, what happens to animals when they are rescued from the wild Favorite part:       Child - The pictures     Mine - Learning about the process of changing an animal from one zoo to another and finding a new friend from Kali.  Least favorite part: Knowing that Kali's mother died.  W arnings/negative feedback: Opening page: "Don't bite me little one...Your Momma just died. Without her, you won't last long out here by yourself." That's blunt if I've ever heard it. I know ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Improbable Libraries Alex Johnson

By
Concept: " A visual journey to the world's most unusual libraries." Author : Alex Johnson, a journalist and consultant . Both parents were librarians.  Monologue score  (1-10) (how entertaining): 8 - Overall I found this book quite interesting. I loved seeing all the ways that people were working to bring books into the community and how many were trying to create a sense of community through books. The pictures did a great job of helping to visualize how these libraries are being used.  Difficulty level: 3- Not very hard. Each of the seven sections (Libraries on the Move, Animal Libraries,Tiny Libraries, Big Libraries, Home Libraries, Mobile Libraries, and Not Libraries) starts with a short introduction and then gives a picture (or three) of the library described.  What I Learned/Review:  I really found this to be an enlightening and uplifting book. Having been a librarian and having a love for books in general it warms my heart to see all the ways that ...
1 comment
Read more