The Secrets of Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

The Secrets of Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Published: 2007

Genre: Juvenile Fiction

Recommended Age Group: 16 and Up

Summary: This enchanting sequel to Peaches begins about where the other one left off. The girls are back in school for their senior year of high school. Birdie is still home schooled while the other girls attend school together. Murphy is consumed with the idea of college and getting out of town as soon as possible. She doesn't just want to get out but specifically to New York and NYU, in fact that is the only school she's applied to. Leeda is still being a people pleaser and just wants what will make her mother like her. She wants it so much that she agrees to be this year Pecan Queen because she can't handle disappointing her mother. However, her mother doesn't feel the same way about her and when it seems like for once she is going to be there for her daughter she flakes out and Leeda is left alone. Birdie is working on her relationship with Enrico long distance through phone calls and endless letters. She also has a sinking suspicion that something is wrong with Poopie and wonders if Poopie is retiring and wanting to go home.

The girls face new conflicts and reach new heights. Murphy meets Rex's Dad and is happy that he doesn't hate her like most parents do who meet her. She also tries to get Rex to move to New York with her and does all the wrong things waiting for him to decide. She still has that hard shell she is trying to shed but has a hard time learning to trust. Leeda starts to have a relationship with her mother but still can't let go of the past and together they end up wreaking the one thing they had in common. Birdie gets a surprise when Enrico shows up for Thanksgiving but thinks God is punishing her for getting to close to him. Birdie's Dad buys her tickets to go spend New Years with Enrico and his family but because she still thinks she is being punished she wastes the time they have together.

In the end Murphy leaves for New York alone. Leeda decides that pleasing people can be a good thing if not taken too far. Birdie ends up following a different dream than the one she expected to. Basically they all live happily ever after, sort of.

Personal Notes: I liked this one even more than the first because it filled in a lot of holes that the other one left. I love the way Anderson writes about three girls that are so different because I can see a little bit of me in each of them and that's fun. I'm sure every girl could relate to them and to their problems and that makes reading about them more interesting.

Other reviews available:

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Love and Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

Deja Dead by Kathy Reichs

First Published: 1997 by Scribner

Genre: Crime Mystery Fiction

Age Group: 21 and Up

Summary: This New York Times Bestseller features Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist living in Quebec to escape her marriage in North Carolina that is falling apart. As the book opens she is putting someone's skull back together and thinking about her upcoming vacation to Quebec City. She never makes it though because a body is found dead at a construction site. She is hoping that it is just an ancient burial uncovered until she interviews the men who found it, ancient burials don't stink. Then, instead of a vacation she gets involved in the investigation to find the murderer. Brennan is also dealing with a less than supportive investigator, her friend's odd habits and requests, her failing marriage, and her college age daughter who wants to drop out of school to follow around her basketball playing boyfriend. In spite of all these distractions she manages to add a lot to the investigation. She has a fresh and distinctive look at the case and puts together things that the detectives missed. She learns to trust herself and her instincts. In the end they find the murderer and come across a few surprises along the way.

Personal Notes: This is the writer who inspired Bones, my favorite television show, so I thought I'd pick up the book. I was a little intimidated by the number of pages but it flowed nicely and I hardly noticed them flying by. I was also happily surprised by some of her story line. I usually have mystery books figured out from page one and I did with this one to a little but there were still things that were unexpected and I appreciated that. Overall this was a fabulous novel especially for a debut. I can't wait to read her other books.

Other reviews available:

Death du Jour by Kathy Reichs

Deadly Decisions by Kathy Reichs


Fatal Voyage by Kathy Reichs


Grave Secrets by Kathy Reichs


Bare Bones by Kathy Reichs


Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs


Cross Bones by Kathy Reichs


Break No Bones by Kathy Reichs


Bones to Ashes by Kathy Reichs