The House of Dance by Beth Kephart

House Of Dance

Rosie and her mother coexist in the same house as near strangers. Since Rosie's father abandoned them years ago, her mother has accomplished her own disappearing act, spending more time with her boss than with Rosie. Now faced with losing her grandfather too, Rosie begins to visit him every day, traveling across town to his house, where she helps him place the things that matter most to him "In Trust." As Rosie learns her grandfather's story, she discovers the role music and motion have played in it. But like colors, memories fade. When Rosie stumbles into the House of Dance, she finally finds a way to restore the source of her grandfather's greatest joy.

Eloquently told, National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart's House of Dance is a powerful celebration of life and the people we love who make it worthwhile.

The House of Dance has the same flowing, poetic narrative as Beth's other books. This story, especially, is heart warming and at times a bit sad. It has a hint of romance but it's not the center of the book, just enough to make itself known.

Rosie is an awesome character, well rounded and unique. She has such a good heart, I want her to be my friend. Her relationship with her mom isn't good but she doesn't blow up every time she's mad at her. She just decides to stay quiet and keep her thoughts to herself. Sometimes this frustrated me because I'm not at all like that but I also understood her.

The grandfather was adorable except that I would have liked him to be more involved somehow. I felt like when Rosie was with her grandfather, it was just as a spectator, not as part of the action.

I would have also liked to see more of the dancing. The title suggests like it would be all about the dancing and it wasn't, which was good, but I also wished there could be a pinch more. The ending is just beautiful.

In one sentence:
"A heartwarming story that will keep your feet tapping."

Plot: 4
Characters: 4
Writing: 5
Cover: 4
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.2 stars

Undercover by Beth Kephart

Undercover

Like a modern-day Cyrano de Bergerac, Elisa ghostwrites love notes for the boys in her school. But when Elisa falls for Theo Moses, things change fast. Theo asks for verses to court the lovely Lila—a girl known for her beauty, her popularity, and a cutting ability to remind Elisa that she has none of these. At home, Elisa's father, the one person she feels understands her, has left on an extended business trip. As the days grow shorter, Elisa worries that the increasingly urgent letters she sends her father won't bring him home. Like the undercover agent she feels she has become, Elisa retreats to a pond in the woods, where her talent for ice-skating gives her the confidence to come out from under cover and take center stage. But when Lila becomes jealous of Theo's friendship with Elisa, her revenge nearly destroys Elisa's ice-skating dreams and her plan to reunite her family.

I think Undercover is my favorite Beth Kephart book. I'm just a softie for romance and poems.

Again, Beth Kephart excels with beautiful writing and a real story. I loved how unique the plot was. I mean, ghost writer for love notes? That's freaking awesome. I loved how we can see how Elisa changed through the book. She became a very strong and brave character in the end.

I loved Theo! He was cute and a good friend. I was a bit heartbroken at some point but then near the end, Theo got redeemed for me.

There's nothing much to say. The book is good and a fast read, slightly un-put-downable and very chaste. Very nice book for younger readers.

In one sentence:
"Charming and quick, Undercover is flamboyant."

Plot: 4
Characters: 5
Writing: 5
Cover: 4
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 4.4

The Heart Is Not A Size by Beth Kephart

The Heart Is Not A Size
Georgia knows what it means to keep secrets. She knows how to ignore things. She knows that some things are better left unsaid. ...Or are they?

When Georgia and her best friend, Riley, travel along with nine other suburban Pennsylvania kids to Anapra, a squatters' village in the heat-flattened border city of Juarez, Mexico, secrets seem to percolate and threaten both a friendship and a life. Certainties unravel. Reality changes. And Georgia is left to figure out who she is outside the world she's always known.

Beth Kephart paints a world filled with emotion, longing, and the hot Mexican sun.

When Georgia discovers a program where she could go to Mexico to help build a community bathroom, she doesn't hesitate to join alongside her best friend, Riley. Both Georgia and Riley have secrets that will threaten this friendship. Will they be able to stay friends?

I loved how easy it was to read this book. I was done with it in two days. A really quick at-the-beach read. Beth Kephart has a beautiful writing style, almost poetic. The words just...flow.

Riley is a very extreme character. She wants to be against everything her mother wants her to be. You can see that their relationship isn't that good and I felt and suffered with Riley.

Georgia is a quiet character, reserved, and with a big secret. Of course, she is worried about her friend and how extreme she's taking everything but it doesn't quite work out.

The setting is fantastic. I love how vividly everything was portrayed in Juarez.

Overall, I really liked the story. It was a quick and easy read and enjoyable but not at-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of enjoyable. I really liked Georgia and Riley's friendship and how imperfect it was, yet, it seemed to work out.

In one sentence:
"A quick read about friendship and the risks we're willing to take for it."

Plot: 4
Writing: 5
Characters: 4
Cover: 2
Overall Feeling: 4
Average: 3.8