Wish You Were Eyre: A Book Review

Hi!

Wish You Were Eyre by Heather Vogel Frederick

Summary: The book club says bon voyage to Concord and bonjour to France! It’s a dream come true for Megan, who’s jet-setting to Paris for Fashion Week with Gigi. Meanwhile, back in Concord, Mrs. Wong decides to run for mayor, so Emma and Stewart team up to make her campaign a success. Jess and Cassidy are also hoping for victories, Jess in the a cappella finals with the MadriGals and Cassidy in the national hockey championships with her teammates. In the midst of it all, the girls—along with their Wyoming pen pals, who drop in for a visit over Spring Break—dive into Charlotte Brontë’s classic Jane Eyre. Some real life romance follows, as Becca may have found a Mr. Rochester of her own. And then there’s the matter of a certain wedding. The book club girls, their families, the British Berkeley brothers, and even Stinkerbelle will be attending the ceremony, which means there might be some bumps before the bride waltzes down the aisle…

{kindly taken from Goodreads}

My Thoughts: Last winter, I read Jane Eyre. Over the summer, I read Jane, and I have watched and adored the Jane Eyre movie that came out a few year ago. So, I think it is safe to say that I am a Jane Eyre fan :) I was so excited to hear that Heather Vogel Frederick was writing one last book in the Mother Daughter Book Club Series, and they were reading, guess what, Jane Eyre!

These characters are ones that I have kind of grown up with. The first book came out a while ago, and I was sad, to say the least, that one of my favorite series was coming to an end. However, the author packed a lot in the final installment, and in my opinion the Mother Daughter Book Club girls went out with a bang!

I’ve never had a problem with character development in these books and that was the case here. The five girls each had their own distinct voice and personalities, and they each contributed something to the storyline. I felt as if the storyline revolved a lot around Megan, but, overall, Frederick did not do a bad job giving each girl time in the “spotlight.” I especially liked the new characters added, like Sophie Fairfax and her grandfather. {her grandfather especially!} I know that Emma, Jess, Megan, Cassidy, and Becca are meant to be the main characters, but I think that as the daughters were growing, so were the moms! I mean Mrs. Wong ran for mayor, Becca’s mom owns a flourishing landscaping business, and Cassidy’s mom is a hit TV show star!

The plot moved at a good pace, and I was engaged the entire time. I do feel as if there was a little too much going on, between the different story lines, but I think it worked out okay in the end. I was very envious of Megan’s trip to Fashion Week in Paris {one day… :)} and I was so happy for Cassidy and Jess in their championships. The whole cheating storyline with Jess made me angry because it’s obvious that she would NEVER cheat, and I was happy to see the Wyoming girls come back! Clearly, there were a lot of events to keep track of, but it was truly a good story. I am so happy that Heather Vogel Frederick wrote one more, because, where would I be without this final ending?!

Pros: Developed characters and good pacing.

Cons: A lot packed into one novel.

Heads Up: Nothing, really!

Overall: I give it 4 1/2 stars {****1/2} and I recommend it for ages 12 and up.

You can read my review of another Heather Vogel Frederick book here.

I keep forgetting to mention this, but I have finally made a master reviews page for all of the reviews done in 2011 and 2012! Yay for organization, right? Of course, this being my first book review in 2013, a new page will soon be added. Click here to look through my reviews.

While, I think that’s all. Have a lovely night!

B :)