Tuesday, January 29, 2019

The Carnival of Wishes & Dreams by Jenny Lundquist

Clarkville is a small town that doesn't offer a lot of job opportunities.  The factory in town provides almost all the working men with jobs.  When it burns down, it doesn't just take the building, it takes one of the firefighters.  The man he was saving survived; he didn't.  Their daughters go to school together and it drives a wedge between them.  When you're young you are very sensitive about things said about you and the whole class changes friends after the fire.  Friends that used to be are now being mean to each other...

Aladdin Books and Edelweiss let me read this book for review (thank you).  It will be published February 12th.

The story centers on three girls who used to be friends until the fire.  It was Grace's father who died.  Audrey's father was the one saved.  And Howell was excited by her new phone and played down the fire and now no one really likes her.  When the carnival comes back to town, they intend to the use the magic of it to make wishes for a better new year.

Grace gets grounded but she goes anyway.  She leaves her mother a note.  After all, she's at a book club meeting.  Then Diego tells her that her mother is dating his father and that's where she is tonight...

The girls have gotten pumpkin grams inviting them to the carnival with instructions to meet at the Ferris Wheel at midnight.  Audrey is afraid of heights but she wants to know who sent the note.  Howell has no friends anymore so why would someone want to meet her there?

The things these girls do is very realistic.  Carnival night turns a bit dramatic before it's over but suddenly they've found a new way forward and a return to their friendships.  I enjoyed this read.

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