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Betsy in Spite of Herself (Betsy-Tacy)
by Maud Hart Lovelace

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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/287377.Betsy_in_Spite_of_Herself?utm_medium=api&amp;utm_source=blog_review" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Betsy in Spite of Herself (Betsy-Tacy)" border="0" src="http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1173423094m/287377.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/287377.Betsy_in_Spite_of_Herself?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">Betsy in Spite of Herself</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5306.Maud_Hart_Lovelace">Maud Hart Lovelace</a> 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/8082748?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review"><h3>My review</h3></a>
 rating: 5 of 5 stars Betsy in Spite of Herself is a chronicle of Betsy Ray's sophomore year of high school, in which she decides to shed her wholesome image in favor of a more Dramatic and Mysterious one. This involves putting her hair up into a pompadour, wearing green, spraying herself with perfume, and a host of other beauty regimens. 
 
 Although these efforts allow her to ensnare rich, handsome Phil Brandish, Betsy soon discovers that she's pretty bored acting as a trophy girlfriend. By the end of the book, she's back to scribbing in notebooks, acting silly with Tacy, and penning ridiculous songs for the school recitals. Of course, she doesn't ENTIRELY abandon her new-found womanly wiles...after all, there's that cute Joe Willard to think about... 
 
 This book includes a thrilling description of Betsy's Christmas holidays with the Tib's family in Milwaukee. As beautiful as this city is, though, it's still no match for Deep Valley. Fortunately, Tib is hatching some secret plans to return to her childhood home, much to the delight of Betsy-Tacy readers everywhere. 
 
 Betsy In Spite of Herself is a lovely story about issues that we deal with still almost a century later. 
 
 The Betsy-Tacy books were highly autobiographical and Lovelace perfectly captures the innocence and magic of childhood. If you read this book and love it, please read the series. It will be books that you will never forget as long as you live. I also recommend the "Betsy-Tacy Companion" which is an amazing book that disects each book and compares it to it's real-life counterparts, including pictures of the "real" Betsy, Tacy, Tib and all the gang. 
 
 I had the pleasure of visiting "Deep Valley" (aka Mankato, Minnesota) for a Betsy-Tacy convention back in 1996. It was incredible to step back in time and enter Betsy's world. We toured the city and I was actually able to step foot in "Tacy's" bedroom and sit on the famous bench at the top of the big hill. It was truly a life-altering experience. I have to thank my sister, Julie for introducting these books to me and changing my life. 
 
 It's obvious how much these books mean to me. My first born child was named Tacy Kelly Maloy. Please read and enjoy. They are a treasure! 
 
 <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/563625?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_review">View all my reviews.</a>

Carmen's review
rating:
recommended for: Everyone

Betsy in Spite of Herself is a chronicle of Betsy Ray's sophomore year of high school, in which she decides to shed her wholesome image in favor of a more Dramatic and Mysterious one. This involves putting her hair up into a pompadour, wearing green, spraying herself with perfume, and a host of other beauty regimens.

Although these efforts allow her to ensnare rich, handsome Phil Brandish, Betsy soon discovers that she's pretty bored acting as a trophy girlfriend. By the end of the book, she's back to scribbing in notebooks, acting silly with Tacy, and penning ridiculous songs for the school recitals. Of course, she doesn't ENTIRELY abandon her new-found womanly wiles...after all, there's that cute Joe Willard to think about...

This book includes a thrilling description of Betsy's Christmas holidays with the Tib's family in Milwaukee. As beautiful as this city is, though, it's still no match for Deep Valley. Fortunately, Tib is hatching some secret plans to return to her childh...more Betsy in Spite of Herself is a chronicle of Betsy Ray's sophomore year of high school, in which she decides to shed her wholesome image in favor of a more Dramatic and Mysterious one. This involves putting her hair up into a pompadour, wearing green, spraying herself with perfume, and a host of other beauty regimens.

Although these efforts allow her to ensnare rich, handsome Phil Brandish, Betsy soon discovers that she's pretty bored acting as a trophy girlfriend. By the end of the book, she's back to scribbing in notebooks, acting silly with Tacy, and penning ridiculous songs for the school recitals. Of course, she doesn't ENTIRELY abandon her new-found womanly wiles...after all, there's that cute Joe Willard to think about...

This book includes a thrilling description of Betsy's Christmas holidays with the Tib's family in Milwaukee. As beautiful as this city is, though, it's still no match for Deep Valley. Fortunately, Tib is hatching some secret plans to return to her childhood home, much to the delight of Betsy-Tacy readers everywhere.

Betsy In Spite of Herself is a lovely story about issues that we deal with still almost a century later.

The Betsy-Tacy books were highly autobiographical and Lovelace perfectly captures the innocence and magic of childhood. If you read this book and love it, please read the series. It will be books that you will never forget as long as you live. I also recommend the "Betsy-Tacy Companion" which is an amazing book that disects each book and compares it to it's real-life counterparts, including pictures of the "real" Betsy, Tacy, Tib and all the gang.

I had the pleasure of visiting "Deep Valley" (aka Mankato, Minnesota) for a Betsy-Tacy convention back in 1996. It was incredible to step back in time and enter Betsy's world. We toured the city and I was actually able to step foot in "Tacy's" bedroom and sit on the famous bench at the top of the big hill. It was truly a life-altering experience. I have to thank my sister, Julie for introducting these books to me and changing my life.

It's obvious how much these books mean to me. My first born child was named Tacy Kelly Maloy. Please read and enjoy. They are a treasure!
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