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The Ruby Notebook
(Notebook #2)
by
Sixteen-year-old Zeeta and her flighty English-teaching mom, Layla, have traveled the world together, settling in a different country every year, making a whole new set of friends and adopting new customs. This year, they’ve chosen to live in Aix-en-Provence, France, an enchanting city full of fountains, creamy yellow light, and a fascinating group of scarlet-clad street p
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Hardcover, 384 pages
Published
September 14th 2010
by Delacorte Books for Young Readers
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Start your review of The Ruby Notebook (Notebook, #2)
This year Layla and Zeeta are in France. Wendell has plans to join them this summer to improve his french. Things get bumpy for them when his family lines up a host family for him to stay with and not with Zeeta as previously arranged. This complicates a relationship that was born over a summer in Ecuador and seperated by thousands of miles. They end up taking a break.
Zeeta embraces herself in the Culture and lifestyle of France while tutoring students in English. Her mother teaches French stud ...more
Zeeta embraces herself in the Culture and lifestyle of France while tutoring students in English. Her mother teaches French stud ...more
Sometimes a book comes into your life at just the right moment and it changes the way you look at life. That's the kind of book the Ruby Notebook is for me. It reminded me to "make everyday a song".
This book is the companion book of The Indigo Notebook. You don't really need to read the prior book to read this one. This time around Zeeta and her mom, Layla, find themselves in France. Zeeta's boyfriend is coming to France for the summer and Zeeta may have finally found balance. But things aren't ...more
This book is the companion book of The Indigo Notebook. You don't really need to read the prior book to read this one. This time around Zeeta and her mom, Layla, find themselves in France. Zeeta's boyfriend is coming to France for the summer and Zeeta may have finally found balance. But things aren't ...more
Laura Resau's writing is gorgeously poetic. Her word choice is spot-on, and her descriptions make me long to travel. After years of speaking French, despite my having forgotten most of what I learned, I still enjoyed this being set in France. Again, the characters were so realistic that Iwas willing to go along with the magical elements in the text that I would usually feel off-putting to me. I wonder if this series is going to be turned into films. They have a cinematic feel about them. While t
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I’m still puzzled by Rumi quotes but I’ve just accepted that I will never understand him but neither does Zeeta and her mother constantly uses them. This book was as close to utter perfection as a book can get. I freely admit that I’m biased towards books where the main character is completely immersed in another country. *shrugs* My previous complaint was that the author didn’t throw in enough Spanish/Quichua phrases but she obliges me here. I LOVE that this book not only features common French ...more
Reviewed by Monica Sheffo for TeensReadToo.com
Laura Resau shines again with this stunning sequel to the captivating novel THE INDIGO NOTEBOOK.
Zeeta's back and on another exciting adventure, this time in France! Aix-en-Provence is just like a fairy tale, and with her boyfriend, Wendell, coming to visit for the summer, life seems just about perfect.
But when a mysterious CD from a secret admirer ends up in her bag at a marketplace, she is determined to find out his identity. Unfortunately, the fant ...more
Laura Resau shines again with this stunning sequel to the captivating novel THE INDIGO NOTEBOOK.
Zeeta's back and on another exciting adventure, this time in France! Aix-en-Provence is just like a fairy tale, and with her boyfriend, Wendell, coming to visit for the summer, life seems just about perfect.
But when a mysterious CD from a secret admirer ends up in her bag at a marketplace, she is determined to find out his identity. Unfortunately, the fant ...more
I adored Indigo Notebook and loved Ruby NOtebook just as much. I love the intergenerational aspect of this book....Zeeta made friends with teens but also had a great relationship with two 70 years olds. The details of France made me want to run right out and get a plane ticket and just go. Plus, the pronounciation guide for french words used in the books was a major a bonus. I wonder what color the next notebook will be....
The middle book of a trilogy seems more often than not to be the weakest book. I was not in love with this one. I figured out the mystery in pretty short order, and found the whole father subplot more than a little silly. Once again, Resau's characters were a delight- and I'm willing to forgive much when this is the case. One cares about these people. A lot. Resau writes well enough that even the pigeons become strong, memorable characters. 3.5
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As always Laura Resau takes me to another world with her writing. The details and the time she takes to accurately write her books just amazes me. I can clearly picture the fountains, the cafes, the buildings, the street performers. But I didn't feel the same way as I did when i read the Indigo Notebook. I don't know why. I was mainly annoyed with Zeeta in the whole book. sigh.
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The Ruby Notebook by Laura Resau is the second in its series, but it is easy to follow regardless of whether or not its reader has finished the previous book. When the first book is taken into account, the ending of the second is slightly easier to predict. This is no huge issue, however, and does not affect the quality of the book itself.
The story follows sixteen-year-old Zeeta and her mother Layla, who have just moved to a beautiful city in France, driven by Layla's restlessness and tendency t ...more
The story follows sixteen-year-old Zeeta and her mother Layla, who have just moved to a beautiful city in France, driven by Layla's restlessness and tendency t ...more
Really good YA book about Zeeta, a girl with a flighty, flower-child mother who drags her around the world making her live in a different country every year. Zeeta has deep inner fears about good-byes, permanence in life, and the existence of her father (a one-night stand by her Mother).
Their newest home is in Aix-en-Provence, France. Zeeta’s American boyfriend is going to spend the summer with them, but already she is having fears. She also has a talent for making friends with odd-balls, includ ...more
Their newest home is in Aix-en-Provence, France. Zeeta’s American boyfriend is going to spend the summer with them, but already she is having fears. She also has a talent for making friends with odd-balls, includ ...more
Dec 21, 2016
Stephanie A.
rated it
really liked it
Shelves:
international-setting,
girl-protagonists
I took so many French classes in school that I ended up minoring in it, yet never had the slightest interest in visiting France. This book might have changed that, for never has the country been described with such mystique.
At first I was disappointed to be transplanted somewhere so seemingly ordinary and modern after the lush world of Ecuador in the last book, but before I knew it was surrounded by enchanting cafes, ancient sculptures, antique markets and rumors of an underground Fountain of Y ...more
At first I was disappointed to be transplanted somewhere so seemingly ordinary and modern after the lush world of Ecuador in the last book, but before I knew it was surrounded by enchanting cafes, ancient sculptures, antique markets and rumors of an underground Fountain of Y ...more
Leeta and her mom Layla travel to a new place every year. That's sixteen different homes in sixteen years. As an English teacher obsessed with water rituals, it's simply what her mom does. This year, it's Aix-en-Provence, France. At first, the only thing that excites Leeta is the thought of her boyfriend Wendall coming to stay with her for two months. But then she meets a traveling theater group who call themselves Illusion, and her priorities change. She finds herself spending more time with th
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I put off reading this for ages, even though I was dying to and had been waiting for it, for two reasons: one, I wanted Resau to come out with another book so I wouldn't have to wait too long for more of her work; two, I was afraid it would make me dissatisfied with my comparatively-staid Midwestern life. Reason one, justified, and I'll be downloading The Queen of Water soon, while hoping the time goes by quickly until The Jade Notebook comes out. Reason two: it's all right, and that's one of th
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They Ruby Notebook is the sequal to the Indigo Notebook. This year Zeeta and Layla are in France. Wendell will come later for his art internship.
Ok to start I liked this book's setting. Ive always loved europe and I liked feeling like I was in France. I loved all the characters, Especially Vincent and Madam. I did enjoy the story
But there were several problems with this book. One being the "Love Triangle" between Wendell, Zeeta, and Jean-Claude. I was really annoyed with Zeeta early on when this ...more
Ok to start I liked this book's setting. Ive always loved europe and I liked feeling like I was in France. I loved all the characters, Especially Vincent and Madam. I did enjoy the story
But there were several problems with this book. One being the "Love Triangle" between Wendell, Zeeta, and Jean-Claude. I was really annoyed with Zeeta early on when this ...more
Zeeta and her world-traveling mom are back with a whole new adventure. After saying goodbye to her friends in the tropical mountains of Ecuador and her new boyfriend, the trio head to the mystical city of Aix-en-Provence in France, famous for its ancient-old fountains that litter the cobble-stone streets.
Once again Resua has created whimsical characters (both familiar and new), a thrilling plot with adventure and mystery, and a setting that is just as exciting. Teens who have fallen in love wit ...more
Once again Resua has created whimsical characters (both familiar and new), a thrilling plot with adventure and mystery, and a setting that is just as exciting. Teens who have fallen in love wit ...more
Sixteen-year-old Zeeta is living in France, the 16th country she and her flighty mother have lived in, which is something Zeeta deals with but also can't help resenting sometimes, as she's forced to leave behind friends, and she feels, even pieces of herself . This time should be different, though, because Zeeta's boyfriend Wendell is supposed to come to study art for two months, and Zeeta can't wait to be with him. However, before he gets there, she meets Jean-Claude, who sparks her interest ev
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Sequel to The Indigo Notebook. Zeeta and her mother have lived in a different country every year for as long as Zeeta can remember. After a year in Ecuador, they are settling into life in Aix-en-Provence, France. Zeeta is very excited that her American boyfriend, Wendell, is coming to spend the summer with her, but she is conflicted when she meets the appealing Jean-Claude, who is traveling and working with a performing group. Complicating matters is someone leaving small gifts for her that she
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A wonderful continuation of Zeeta and Layla's nomadic life this time in Aix-en-Provence in France. Based on a vision by her boyfriend, Wendell, Zeeta and her mother come to this lovely little town that is overflowing with fountains (pun intended) and may also be the home to ancient magical waters. After a rocky start to being reunited Zeeta and Wendell again find a mystery to solve that takes them all over Aix (above ground and underground).
Even though I read this book (and had to rely upon the ...more
Even though I read this book (and had to rely upon the ...more
The Ruby Notebook is a more enjoyable read than the previous one, and I guess better as a novel. I felt like The Indigo Notebook has heavier story-line (intercultural adoption) so it's harder to just sit back and let the story carry you away, which the Ruby Notebook does.
I've ready many of Resau's books, but this is the first one I've read where I've not already actually visited the place where it's set. So I was curious to see how the descriptions held up. It was really good, but in today's in ...more
I've ready many of Resau's books, but this is the first one I've read where I've not already actually visited the place where it's set. So I was curious to see how the descriptions held up. It was really good, but in today's in ...more
The Ruby Notebook is a quick and light read. It has many themes- true love, fantome- secret admirer, and family.
The characters are easy to like and I got engrossed in their story. We watch as the main character Z discovers her path to new love, finding friends and routine in a new country. She makes friends with some elderly folks and help them to realize that they are both quietly in love with the other.
She journeys to find the father that she never knew, and goes on a quest to help the co ...more
The characters are easy to like and I got engrossed in their story. We watch as the main character Z discovers her path to new love, finding friends and routine in a new country. She makes friends with some elderly folks and help them to realize that they are both quietly in love with the other.
She journeys to find the father that she never knew, and goes on a quest to help the co ...more
I adored Resau's first novel featuring Zeeta and her mother in Ecuador. Now they are in Aix-en-Provence and while the storytelling is more predictable, it is still enchanting. Resau's talent lies in her ability to describe these exotic locations without making it sound like a boring travelogue. Zeeta is an excellent narrator and filter for these enticing settings. As an atypical teen, she sees things with fresh eyes, but many of her problems are universal especially when dealing with love. Perha
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We meet Zeeta in The Ruby Notebook as she's settling in France with a goal to buy a new notebook for the new country she's living in (each country has it's own color) and make new friends. For the notebook, she settles on Ruby. As for the friends, she meets a troop of performers in the square who call themselves Illusion. Amandine and Jean-Claude quickly become friends at the same time that Zeeta begins to discover mysterious objects left in her bag, beginning with a cd of guitar music. She deci
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This was an absolutely amazing novel! Every minuscule detail weaving itself into other details and creating an unforgettable masterpiece! Great morals - of love and friendship, combined with the exuberant theme of travel make this book a compelling read! Emphatically, the author does a phenomenal job recreating the setting of France and the reader gets to experience and learn the language and customs of the place simultaneously. :) HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT! If interested, be sure to check out the 1
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Zeeta and her mom move to a new country every year. In her 16th year and 16th country, they settle in Aix-en-Provence, France. Zeeta meets some fascinating and eclectic new people, including a traveling musical troupe, an antique dealer, an artist, a mime, and a Celt spiritualist. All of these disparate characters are intricately tied together as Zeeta searches for her father, answers about her relationship with Wendell her boyfriend from Ecuador, and the rumored sacred, healing waters of Aix.
This book was unlike anything I have ever read before. I found the premise of a mother and daughter who live in a different country each year very intriguing. I also loved the fact that she has a notebook from each year and chooses the color based on her emotions.
I love notebooks and so I loved the idea of her constantly writing in one.
I know some people might find the immortal water a stretch, but I didn't think so.
I will definitely be following this series and this author. Like I said earlie ...more
I love notebooks and so I loved the idea of her constantly writing in one.
I know some people might find the immortal water a stretch, but I didn't think so.
I will definitely be following this series and this author. Like I said earlie ...more
Zeeta and her mom are gypsies, spending each year in a new country. Zeeta is both suited to this and is starting to dislike it when they move to Aix-en-Provence. Her sweetie, Wendell, is coming to stay for a couple of months, and Z is concerned that they have lots their connection.
This feels like a very old-fashioned book, though I am not sure why I say this. It's very straightforward and sincere--no snark, no double-play (White Cat, I am looking at you). A great heroine, wonderful setting (I a ...more
This feels like a very old-fashioned book, though I am not sure why I say this. It's very straightforward and sincere--no snark, no double-play (White Cat, I am looking at you). A great heroine, wonderful setting (I a ...more
The four star rating is for Vincent and Madame Chevalier and of course, Maude. I suppose I had huge expectations because I loved the Indigo Notebook so much I felt this one should be just as good. The problem was I feel like Zeeta was particularly selfish in this book. As a result of her selfishness I feel like she was slow in REALLY helping Vincent and Chevalier. Also because of her angst over her boy issues I feel she was wrapped in a Zeeta bubble and missed some VERY obvious clues as to what
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I grabbed this book thinking it was the 1st of the series, I was wrong. So I had a bit of confusion at the beginning, in that I didn't know all of the characters, and some weren't as well described as others. I enjoyed the setting in France and brushed up on many French phrases. The main character, Zeeta, is very likable and keeps the plot moving. I didn't like her mother nearly as much. The quest for Zeeta to find her father is compelling and then the end was surprising and made me want to read
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Wonderful sequel! I'm only sad Layla didn't get to bathe in the secret water! Layla loves her sacred water rituals!!
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Jul 09, 2010
Posie
rated it
it was amazing
Recommends it for:
People who read and loved the indigo notebook
Recommended to Posie by:
Myself
Shelves:
10-11-school-year
I LOVED this book. The Indigo Notebook is one of my very favorite books, and The Ruby Notebook definitely lived up to my expectations. I especially liked how there was all that French mixed in--I picked up some great expressions. I was so glad that Laura Resau picked France as the setting for The Ruby Notebook. Wendell and Zeeta were perfect for following around the little French towns and cafe's. I really hope there is a third book!!
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I'm the author of the young adult novels The Queen of Water (with Maria Virginia Farinango), Red Glass, What the Moon Saw, The Indigo Notebook, The Ruby Notebook , The Jade Notebook, and the middle-grade novels Star in the Forest and The Lightning Queen. My most recent novel, Tree of Dreams, was released in 2019 with Scholastic. I grew up in Maryland, then moved around for ten years (as student, E
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