Kepler's Dream

by Juliet Bell

A young girl makes her fractured family whole again with the help of a very special book

When eleven-year-old Ella's mother has to be hospitalized to undergo a dangerous cancer treatment, Ella spends the summer at "Broken Family Camp" with her eccentric grandmother, whom she's never met. The situation is hardly ideal for either of them. Ella is scared her mother may die, but her grandmother seems to care more about her library full of books than she does about her very own granddaughter.

But when a rare and beloved book, Kepler's Dream of the Moon , is stolen from her grandmother's amazing library, Ella and her new friend Rosie make up their minds to find it. Finding the beautiful book her grandmother loves so much could even be the key to healing Ella's broken family.

An affecting and beautifully written story of family, forgiveness and the wonder of the stars, Kepler's Dream is a sparkling and memorable debut.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Fiction, Realistic Fiction, Young Adult, Family, Childrens

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

Reviews

[Donalyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This may seem like a heretical idea (especially on goodreads), but some people think that book collectors and those of us who spend a lot of time reading are disconnected from the real world. It is hard to explain that we read and adore books so much because we love life and see books as a way of capturing all of life's moments and the people who shape us.
Ella's Grandmother feels this way about books, too. Her attachment to Kepler's Dream expresses her love for her husband, who died in an accident. When the book is stolen, one more thread that connects her to him is lost. Looking for the book helps Ella bond with her grandmother and look at her father differently.
Books have bindings made of glue and thread and they bind us to each other, too.
This quiet book about family, loss, and books touched me. It isn't perfect, but it's beautiful. Just like life.

[Brandy Painter]

So I read the first chapter of this and had to put it aside. It's funny the things that can make or break a book. In this case? The story takes placed in Albuquerque and the MC described the June night as "freezing" and "icy". I thought maybe it was 11 year old exageration. But then the other 11 year old concurred. Huh I thought. Maybe they don't actually live IN Albuquerque but in the mountains outside. I still wouldn't use the word icy but it would be more understandable. But nope. She mentions the Cottonwood trees so they're near the river. Then a fire was lit. Something the adults do regularly around the place in summer. Because of the cold. And I lost all faith in and trust in the author. June is the hottest month of the year in Albuquerque. And yes, visitors are sometimes amazed by how much cooler it is at night than during the day. Occasionally we would open our windows at night during June to let in a cool breeze. Most nights they were shut because the air was on. It was June. And hot.

[Janae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely for middle school-aged children, but it was a cute read. I loved all the characters, and I could see myself at a younger age absolutely loving this book. It was a fun story that draws you in and makes you want to find out what happens in the end. I would definitely recommend this to some of my grandkids to read.

[Shirley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kepler's Dream is a 5th. through 8th. grade novel with some excellent characterizations. Abercrombie was the character that I loved to hate. He was as despicable as a villain in a silent movie.

Yes, you could call Ella's family dysfunctional, but there was still an undercurrent of love and caring despite their issues. The numerous instances of (expletive deleted) brought humor as Ella and her friends and family sought to solve the mystery of the disappearance of an extremely valuable book called Kepler's Dream of the Moon.

I looked up Kepler's Laws on the Internet while reading because I couldn't remember what they were. Kepler discovered that the planets rotate in an elliptical pattern around the sun instead of in a circular orbit. His other discoveries made me a little cross-eyed. Thankfully, the characters in the story didn't understand his laws either.

If you enjoy mysteries and have a fascination with the wonder of the stars, you should add Kepler's Dream, to your list of books to read.

[Ryan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sweet book about a young girl, Ella, during the transitional summer of age 11. Her mother is sick, her father hasn't really be present, and she is sent to stay with her grandmother - one she doesn't know, who has no internet or tv, and is just a bit...odd. Ella manages it all with some humor and her dog.

[Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a pretty delightful debut novel. Ella is a very independent girl, and parents who have nothing to do with each other are portrayed accurately. The mystery isn't really solvable - it's kind of just told to you, which is why I docked a star, but the red herrings will entertain kids anyway, I think.

[Hillary · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a really quiet book as many would say. A certain book which holds many ties to family goes missing and our main character is out to find it. I really liked how the book examples how a single object can hold so many memories.This book does deserve 4 stars because the plot does have more potential but that's good enough.

[Mailee Xiong · Rating 3 out of 5]

So far, this book is going good. I think it shows a lot about Ellie's emotions. Like a lot, at some point, this book makes me wonder how sad it'll be like to have a mother like hers. This Book isn't that bad, I actually kind of like it.

[Kristi Clemow · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good - but didn't love it.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ella's mother has to undergo cancer treatment and her father is out leading fishing trips, so she ends up at her grandmother's house for the summer. Ella's grandmother is not your typical grandma though - Violet Von Stern is a cold, particular, and fussy lady who lives in New Mexico surrounded by her beloved books and pet peacocks. Ella has no memory of ever meeting her grandmother and is not happy about being stuck with her for several weeks. A very treasured book of her grandmother's goes missing and she and her friend Rosie decide to solve the mystery. In the midst of all this, Ella learns a lot about life and love and even begins to appreciate the strengths of her quirky grandmother.

Read if you like:
- Good, unique story narration - Ella narrates with a lot of wit and snark.

Don't read if you dislike:
- Slow moving novels that require getting to the halfway point for any action to happen.
- An overabundance of snark and sarcasm - this book is stuffed with it!

Personal thoughts:
I really did not enjoy this book. I did not enjoy Ella's super sarcastic and at times disrespectful tone. The book also seemed to be packed out with a lot of filler and took forever to go anywhere. Some of its main and memorable features (peacocks, for example) don't have any significance or meaningful role in the story. I absolutely detested how the author used the words "expletive deleted" to fill in for bad language. It wasn't hard to fill in the blanks and it was completely unnecessary and not appropriate for a children's novel. I had to force myself to finish this one.

Possibly objectionable content:

Language - crappy, "expletive deleted" (24), idiot (1), suck (2), good lord (3), geez, butt (4), heck (3), hells bells (1), my G- (1)

Disrespect of authorities - Ella hides a teen magazine from her parents

Occult - Mention of horoscope, one character communicates with her dead grandfather (multiple references to this)

Dishonesty - Ella lies (but she does regret it later and there are consequences)

Other: Ella's parents are divorced, mention of "sneaking around on the internet," mocking descriptions of Christians, super sarcastic tone throughout the book, parents fighting, mentions of drinking beer

[Norma Jean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella and her mom have been getting used to life as a duo since her father left them. Now, Ella has to adjust to life once again with her mother just being diagnosed with leukemia. Ella is being sent to live with her grandmother whom she’s never met. Ella is 11 and she’ll spend the Summer at "Broken Family Camp."

Ella is scared her mother may die while the grandmother seems more concerned about her rare book collection than about Ella. The books have been gathered from grandmother’s world travels with her husband who has since passed away. Those memories are all that are left of her life with him.

Ella develops a friendship with Rosie. When one of the rare books, Kepler's Dream of the Moon, is stolen, Ella and Rosie decide to hunt for it. Could this just be the healing key to the fractured family?

NOTE: There is a film by the same name starring starring Isabella Blake-Thomas, Holland Taylor, and Sean Patrick Flanery.

[Aleta · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ugh. This book was pure meh for me. I'm so disappointed. I mean I was expecting great things from this book. It was described as a moving, heart warming story, plus there was a mystery about a stolen book! It should have been good, but it was only okay. The characters were okay, the writing was okay, the plot was okay, but put together it just gave off this overwhelming sense of blandness. I just didn't feel a connection to any of the characters. This book was not memorable. I found myself having to reread passages, because I kept forgetting what I had read. And while I hate saying this about books, this. Book. Was. Boring. In the end I was forcing myself to finish it, which hardly ever happens. I was not impressed, and I wouldn't really recommend it.

[Liesel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fair. Simple story easy enough to follow but I really wanted more details on the characters which never came. I was surprised at how in depth and repetitive certain things were but then we never got closure on main themes such as the family dynamic, grandmother's relationship with Walter, etc. Fair. nothing special.

[melissa1lbr · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up for the astronomy aspect, which turned out to be the best part for me. I had a hard time getting into it, I felt disconnected from the characters. I did like the family history stuff and the house where all this crazy stuff happens sounds awesome. Anyway, cute but not exactly memorable or a favorite.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strong story about family. A young girl goes to stay for the summer with a grandmother she's never met and in the process learns more about her family and herself and solves a mystery. Plenty of funny moments as well. Good mix of humor, mystery, and heart.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was much deeper and complex than I expected and was extremely well written--natural, conversational perspective of the not quite 12 year old main character with frequent, beautifully poignant and honest insights into love, grief, and human nature.

[Diane McKenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Albuquerque is a perfect setting for this story about dreams that can come true with growth from a broken up family and an antique treasured book about the skies above.

[BAYA Librarian · Rating 1 out of 5]

Eleven year old Ella is shipped off to stay with her rigid grandmother on a remote ranch in Albuquerque, New Mexico while her mother is undergoing cancer treatments and her distant father is off leading fishing trips. Ella hardly knows her grandmother, having seen her last when she was a baby, just as her parents were splitting up. So we’ve got a child of divorced parents, a catastrophically ill mother, an estranged father who is unreliable and rarely available, a cold, formal grandmother, still grieving over the death of her husband, and: the mysterious disappearance of a rare book, Kepler’s Dream. Solve the mystery, repair the broken family bonds, and find solace in the wonders of the austere New Mexico landscape.

Reviewers in Booklist, Publisher’s Weekly and School Library Journal all liked this book, recommending this “affecting story” for readers 10 and up (PW) and writing that: “Despite her circumstances, Ella translates the world with a candid, sassy voice and a surprising amount of wisdom.”

Booklist adds: Ella's narration is fresh, distinctive, and full of dry humor. After she discovers that her grandmother is a stickler for correct word usage, Ella privately refers to the GM's home as the GGCF (Good Grammar Correctional Facility).

Plus, the endorsements on the back cover are all favorable and from respected authors: Michael Chabon, Zilpha Keatley Snyer, Blue Balliett and Kathryn Erskine.

However, this reviewer must disagree with all of the above, finding the first half of the book a tedious slog. Ella’s voice does not ring true and when a book is written in the first person, the voice has to grab the reader as authentic and engaging, otherwise, why bother? I found Ella’s voice neither “candid” nor “sassy” but a poor approximation of an 11 year old. Her “wisdom” is unbelievable; seeming like a method of conveying the author’s narrative through Ella’s words.

The pacing and plot are tedious as well. The first half of the book, really the entire first half, is the set up for the “mystery”—the disappearance of a rare book entitled, Kepler’s Dream, which is just dripping with symbolic overtones. The second half is devoted to solving the mystery, discovering the culprit—and yes it is just who you are lead to believe it was the whole time--and healing family wounds. The second half reads better than the first, but I wonder how many readers will make it that far. The one fourteen year old reader I gave it to, for a youth perspective on the book, didn’t.

This is not a teen book. The content is geared for a younger reader and the cover art is dreamy and childlike. The girl pictured on it looks to be about 10 years old and I think that would be the best audience for this title, assuming there is much of an audience for it.

[Tripp]

Begins in medias res as a commotion at night outside the adobe house of main character Ella Mackenzie's grandmother awakens everyone. They discover that grandmother Violet Von Stern's copy of Kepler's Somnium, or Dream, has been stolen from her detached library, a chapel-like structure twenty-some feet from her house in New Mexico. After this cliff hanger to end chapter one, Bell, moves back in time to fill in the vents leading up to the theft, an exposition that occupies the next 100 pages. Included among the exposition are her mother's blood transfusion treatment, a last-ditch effort to eliminate her leukemia and part of the reason why Ella has to go live with her long-estranged grandmother, and her father Walter's failure to take her in, the other part of the reason for Ella's "exile" to New Mexico. Her mother, Amy, and Walter, are acrimoniously divorced, and, though there is a healing of their relationship by the story's end, divorced they remain.

Another element of the story involves the Aguilar family; Miguel works for Violet, as his father once worked for Violet and her husband, Edward Mackenzie, until a fishing accident on the Colorado River caused the deaths of both Edward and Miguel's father. Walter, Miguel, and Miguel's brothers were along on that trip, and Violet has always blamed Walter, and to some extent Miguel's older brother, Ignacio, for Edward's death, which caused an expected rift between mother and son.

A third strand involves the bookseller, Christopher Abercrombie, who is also staying at the house that summer to help Violet catalog her book collection. Ella immediately sees that he's shady, and sets out with Rosie, Miguel's daughter, to prove it was Christopher who stole the book. He was pilfering books, but turns out to not directly have taken the Dream: that was Walter, making a surprise visit after many years away, who lost it the night of the theft, allowing it to be found and hidden by one of two teen boys--one of them Christopher's nephew, equally unsavory, but not the prankster--hired by Violet to help catalog the collection.

This boy, Jackson, leaves enigmatic clues for Ella in their last conversation, which she eventually recognizes as a clue, and solves, leading to the book's recovery. In a final scene, Violet gives the book to Ella, who takes it to her mother when the operation has proven successful and visitors are again allowed at the end of July.

The prose is crisp, the pace varied, and there is even a hand-drawn map--worked on by Ella during her weeks'-long stay--of the "House of Mud" and immediate environs.

[Jenn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ella’s mother has been sick with cancer for many years. Now doctors want to try a dangerous stem cell transplant as a last ditch effort to save her life. While she undergoes this treatment, Ella needs somewhere to stay. Her parents are divorced, and her father has been absent for most of Ella’s life. Because he will be busy leading fishing expeditions, he suggests that his daughter spend the summer with her grandmother, a woman Ella has never met. Having no other options, Ella and her dog fly to Albuquerque and encounter a very formidable woman who lives in the desert without a television or the Internet.

Violet Von Stern has lived alone many years in her New Mexico adobe with only the companionship of her dog and numerous peacocks. Her husband died long ago and her relationship with her son, Ella’s father, is poor. Over the years, she has come to care more for her large library of rare books than her own family. When Ella arrives, Violet does not know how to act. She spends more time correcting Ella’s grammar and etiquette than helping her granddaughter cope the very real possibility that she may lose her mother. Ella refers to her grandmother as the General Major and calls the residence the Good Grammar Correctional Facility in the letters she writes to her mother. It appears that Ella is in store for a miserable summer until a mystery arises. An incredibly valuable copy of Johannes Kepler’s Somnium is stolen from Violet’s library. There are plenty of suspects, but Ella thinks she knows who is responsible; she just has to prove it. As she investigates the theft, Ella learns the tragic details of her Violet’s life, and she starts to feel a bit of sympathy for her tough grandmother.

Juliet Bell’s debut novel is the kind of quiet story that is appreciated more by adults than by children. Ella has a wonderful voice that is full of humor and insight. In fact, all of the characters in Kepler’s Dream are well developed, as are the themes of family, books, and astronomy. Where the book falls short is in the mystery, which is resolved without much interest. Though Kepler’s Dream will not have mass appeal, fifth and sixth grade readers who enjoy novels like Walk Two Moons will appreciate this lovely book.

3.5 out of 5 stars
Grades 5-7

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

While her mother fights for her life and undergoes invasive treatment for her cancer, Ella has nowhere else to go but to her paternal grandmother's home in Albuquerque. Since her parents' divorce, eleven-year-old Ella has had little contact with her father since he often heads off on fishing expeditions from his Spokane, Washington base of operations. Since Ella doesn't remember ever meeting this grandmother, she is understandably reluctant to stay with her, and her insistence on proper grammar and etiquette doesn't help Ella feel any more comfortable. Ella even comes to think of the woman as the General Major and calls the residence the Good Grammar Correctional Facility in the letters she writes to her mother. As emotionless and detached as she might seem, Ella's grandmother does have something going for her. She's a lover of good writing and a collector of rare books, a hobby she and her husband shared before his death many decades earlier. The house is filled with books, but the prize is a volume known as Kepler's Dream, which disappears during Ella's stay. She and Rosie, the daughter of one of Grandmother's assistants eventually solve the mystery of the book's whereabouts. The book contains some powerful sentences and describes an eccentric family with members that, in the end, love each other despite their imperfections. There are quite a few characters who enter the book only briefly and in some respects detracted from my enjoyment of the title. Then, too, there are too many individuals coming and going, some secretly, that sometimes things felt a little muddy. Not surprisingly, many of the characters grow and change, but I wondered what exactly prompted the changes in Ella herself. As a bibliophile, I longed to spend some time in the library described in the book, but I also was surprised that only recently were any attempts made to organize it and record its contents. Most of us readers thrive on having our books carefully shelved so that we can find whatever book strikes our fancy.

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Ella MacKenzie has to stay with a grandmother who she has never had any contact with, her fears about her mother's cancer and the radical treatment she needs to undergo are made even more daunting and frightening. Her father, Walter doesn't have much contact with her or his mother so Ella knows virtually nothing about this mysterious woman.

She arrives in Albuquerque, New Mexico to find a stern, almost unloving woman who is mad at the world, it seems. But, she does love her books, her liberery, and her deceased husband, Edward. Ella knows her grandfather died in a sudden accident, but she doesn't know the whys or hows. This summer, she finds out a lot about the secrets the MacKenzie family keeps and much about the valuable book, Kepler's Dream which her grandmother values more, or so it seems, than her own family.

In time, Ella and her grandmother come to form a mutual respect and love for one another and find a way to bring Walter into the arms of a loving family embrace. They are all worried and praying for Ella's mother to beat the cancer which has taken away her strength and way of life.

Kepler's Dream is a mystery about the value of 'stuff', family, and bonding. Out of a disease so consuming comes a path to find a way at being a family once again and re-cement the bonds which were worn away by anguish and recrimination. A book full of food for thought and understanding why forgiveness is essential to the soul.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had heard great things about this book, and all the good buzz was definitely deserved. Ella is a great character. Readers can take her seriously, but still laugh at all her jokes (*"Roald Dahl recipe book" is all I'll say here). There is not one character in this book that does not feel genuine and fully formed (and that goes for the animals in the book too!). There are so many traps that the author could have fallen into, such as making Ella's sick mother a saint (instead there were many references to arguments and forbidden fruit loops, thus making her illness more genuine and relatable), or making Ella's Grandmother excessively over the top, but Juliet Bell avoids all those traps, and creates one of the strongest casts of characters I've ever read in a middle grade novel.

The mystery element is not that strong, but it's only meant to be a portion of the story. The importance is how all the characters fit together. And that is part of a problem in that I don't know how appealing this book will be to kids who are not already strong readers. Ella will definitely win some readers over, but kids may think that the plot is slow.

I also wish that maybe the author had left a little room for a sequel (it's not impossible, but doesn't seem likely by the end). I think Ella has a lot more stories to tell. Either way, I'm really happy to say that all positive reviews for this book are right! :)

*Not to be confused with Roald Dahl's Revolting Recipes.

[Emily Calzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kepler’s Dream is the story of a young girl (eleven) named Ella MacKenzie, whose adventure is the key to mending her lost and heart-broken. The story life is filled with adventure, love, family, forgiveness, dedication and journey. When Ella’s mother becomes ill and diagnosed with cancer, Ella is sent off for the summer to the “Broken Family Camp” in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her Grandmother she has not seen since she was a little girl. Her grandmother is dry and rigid, only caring about her beloved library. Ella’s father is very distant especially with him being gone on fishing expeditions. Contemplating about the misery she is going to experience this summer, all Ella can think about is her sick mother and how scared she is that she might pass. Also being ignored by her own grandmother is not making her summer look too exciting, however when grandmother’s rare book, Kepler’s Dream of the Moon is mysteriously stolen, the adventure begins. Ella teams up with her new found friend Rosie to find the book and return it to its rightful home in grandmother’s beautiful library. Will the MacKenzie family ever be able to reunite, forgive, and form the bond that should have been created years ago?

This book would be appropriate for the age group of 9-12. Firstly because of the length and secondly because of some of the concepts it entailed and pointed to a more mature audience. I really enjoyed the storyline and would recommend it to this age group.

[Holly Mueller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. This is a quiet, meaningful story about family, books, and stars. Eleven-year-old Ella has to spend the summer at her (expletive deleted) grandmother's peacock-infested house in Albuquerque because her mother is undergoing cancer treatments. She's never met her eccentric grandmother before, and quickly starts calling her GM (General Major) to herself because of her stern and unaffectionate mannerisms. She slowly befriends Rosie, who lives close by, and whose father works for GM. Ella's grandmother is often accused for loving books more than people (can't imagine that - ahem) and owns an incredible library full of rare collections, including her most prized book, Kepler's Dream. Kepler's Dream is more than a priceless book - it is a reminder of her grandmother's husband, Edward. One day, the book mysteriously disappears, and Ella's summer becomes a little more exciting. The mystery, though, is really secondary to the story of Ella discovering more about herself, her estranged father, her deceased grandfather and his mysterious death, friendship, and her grandmother. The stolen book plot point reminds me of People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks, an adult title I LOVED! I loved Ella's comparison of her mother and the North Star: "The one fixed brightness in the sky: once you found that, you would always be able to figure out where you were."u

[Sheila Decosse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Keppler's Dream written by Juliet Bell,first time author,must have slipped under the radar of reviewers that I read. The cover blurb by author MIchael Chabon, catches some of its honesty and readability. He said of the book,"Sweet funny and charming."

THe official summary gives a sense of the plot and setting.Ella's mother is near death and ELla must go somewhere while her mom gets tratment. The grandmother she has forgotten is not Ella's first choice but there are no others. Especially appealing are the wonderful self refelective, funny, comments of the main character, her wry observations on her parents' divorce, her growing fascination with astronomy and dreams, and the warm friendship that she develops with the Hispanic family who has lived on her grandmother's (General Manager, Ella calls her) ranch since Ella's father lived there as a boy.

The suspicious character's involved in the mystery give Ella more matter to pnder on, as she and her now best friend, Rosie, finally solve the mystery.

Most heartbreaking are Ella's words and thoughts on divorce and as her best friend: mother, struggles to survive leukemia.

HIghly recommended.

[Teresa Garrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella's mother has leukemia and is scheduled for a stem cell transplant on the fourth of July and no one knows where Ella can stay. Ella's parents are divorced and live far apart. Walt, Ella's dad, suggests she spend the summer with her grandmother whom Ella has never met. With only strange stories from her mom about this mysterious relative Ella is excited and scared of spending time with her grandmother in New Mexico. When she arrives her grandmother is as mysterious as is her House of Mud, Ella's name for adobe. What is with all the stuff, grammar lessons, hundreds of peacocks, a strange house guest, and grandmother's personal library building filled with thousands of rare books? As Ella struggles to make sense of everything around her and make a friend for the summer a rare book, Kepler's Dream, is stolen. Ella with the help of her new friend Rosie form a detective agency and set out to solve the disappearance. Ella finds more than she expects along the way and discovers that families come in many different forms.

[Tracy Holczer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a magical book that took me to another place. Set in Albuquerque (Rhyme's with beef jerky according to Ella), the main character has been sent to live with her estranged paternal grandmother as her mother goes through treatment for cancer. Surrounded by desert, adobe and peacocks, Ella goes about living day to day with a bibliofile grandmother who doesn't show much interest in her other than to correct her grammer. But Ella deals with the hand given her with heart and grace. She discovers a friend, learns how to ride a horse and makes the most of this stressful time as she waits to hear how her mother is doing. Filled with touching letters that she writes to Mom, it's a beautiful story about growing up and slowly discovering that people are dimensional - it's never all or nothing. The mystery at it's heart will keep kids turning pages, but so will the character work. This one has stayed with me.

[lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the bones of this story (who doesn't like stories about a precocious young girl, bravely facing her mother's illness, surrounded by a cast of eccentric characters) but the execution of it was not great. The editing was terrible -- there were several instances when the characters were described as wearing different clothes than they started out in. Also, as someone who has lived in Albuquerque for the past eight years, I couldn't figure out where the grandmother's house was supposed to be, or why the main character kept describing the summer nights as being cold. I have never been cold at night in Albuquerque in July. I couldn't tell if the author had never been here, or had not been here in such a long time that she couldn't remember it, or if she had been to another part of the state (like Santa Fe or Taos) and was trying to apply the aspects of those towns to Albuquerque. Disappointing read.

[Tian Lin · Rating 5 out of 5]

At the start of summer Ella had to move to her grandmother's place because her mother had cancer. At first she didn't really like her grandmother but then her grandmother's most cherished item, a very rare book had been stolen. Trying to figure out who the thief was with the help of her new friend Rosie help her figure out this mystery, Will they every find this rare book or will it be lost forever?

The reason I picked up this book and took it home to read was because when I read the back of the book it made me want to find out who had really stole the book.

I finished the book because once I started reading it I couldn't stop it was very interesting and it dragged me deeper into the book with every flip of a page and I was lost in this world full of mystery.

I would recommend this book to people who like to read mystery books because this is a really good mystery book in my opinion and I think that people should try it out.