I thought I would take you on a little trip to see some of the highlights of my recent blog tour.  Here are 3:

This is a cute, quick read.  I will definitely be putting it on my granddaughter Emma’s shelf.  It is a great pleasure to read, review, and save books for her.

This is every young girls dream – to be locked in a department store.

This may not be a realistic book, but it is very cute and one I would recommend to parents looking for something to keep their girls reading.

http://opesopinions.wordpress.com/2013/10/10/lost-in-london/

I thought LOST IN LONDON was super cute and pretty fun. 

…There are a couple of expected plots, and a few that were more surprising.  J.J. and Caroline have trouble getting along at first, of course.  Caroline is a bit hot and cold.  Caroline’s friends are more accommodating, but their classmate Sebastian is causing trouble for everyone.  I liked that J.J. and Sam, one of Caroline’s guy friends, had a bit of a flirtation but that the romance angle wasn’t really played up.  And the fact that their relationship revolved around a shared love of eating was adorable.
Less expected was the plotline where J.J. and Caroline accidentally implicate themselves in a massive heist.  They’ve got to dodge the police since they’re afraid they can’t prove they’re innocent.  (Oh to be twelve and think the police would actually believe you’re a master thief.)  It’s a plotline that relies quite a bit on coincidence, but who cares when it’s hilarious?
The book also works because the characters are wonderful.  J.J. is awkward, but she’s got enough confidence to stand up for herself, and she’s learning to be more confident.  Ellie, Caroline’s best female friend, is a secretly talented space cadet.  Caroline is a bit spoiled, but that doesn’t mean she’s rotten.  Gordo isn’t manly, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a cool guy.  Sam is friendly and constantly hungry.  The characters elevate the simple plot, as they should.
I’m definitely interested in reading Cindy Callaghan’s next novel, LUCKY ME, coming July 2014.

http://inbedwithbooks.blogspot.com/2013/10/review-lost-in-london.html

I typically do not read a lot of middle grade books (I pass them on to my kiddos), but this one caught my eye as it is set in London and the premise sounded really promising. And right-O, was not disappointed! I was quickly and easily engaged in the story line and the cast of 13-15 year old characters.

Jordan is an American student taking a trip to London for a school report. Caroline, her English counterpart is less than thrilled with the prospect of being a tour guide. Caroline comes equipped with her own posse of awesome friends: Sam, Gordo and Ellie who keep the balance between a tourist who want sot see the famous London sights, and a spoiled local who wants to shop and hit a movie.

I truly enjoyed London through the eyes of a middle school girl and guy. Sam can’t get enough of the sweets–the cafe and the goodies from the bakery owned by their nemesis. While the girls can’t get enough of the famous 18 floor department store named Daphne’s.

The only sometimes annoying part was the personality of host sister Caroline. Grrrr. That girl. Her personality grated on me. But Cindy Callaghan’s writing was delightful. I even downloaded one of her other books after finishing Lost in London. I love the covers, the idea of introducing my girls to new sights and countries. At ten, my daughter still thinks boys are gross, so I will probably hold on to this series for a couple of years before passing it on. But, I’m so happy to have found a new fun middle grade author that I can also read along and enjoy as an adult.

http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/2013/10/lost-in-london-by-cindy-callaghan-blog.html

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