Oh hello and happy birthday if it is your birthday month! I hope you have a wonderful day! Briellerose is here and Farmer's Faire is just around the corner, so me and my sisters are getting ready for that. That doesn't mean, however, that I haven't had time to read a book or two and... shock horror... I have finished the book.
This month is all about birthdays and that one special day a year where the focus is on that special person. But what happens when your birthday keeps repeating itself? That would be the question to ask Amanda, the main character in 11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass. After having the worst birthday ever, and the first one without her best friend Leo, Amanada goes to bed hoping that her mum will be alright after she was fired, her dad will feel better, her sister's crush will realise that someone has a crush on him, and her best friend won't hate her for failing to make the gymnastics team. However, she wakes up to find her birthday is on repeat.
I cannot begin to imagine how Amanada would feel knowing that a truly horrible day is about to repeat itself. She knows everything is going to happen and she lets it play out. This happens every day until Amanda realises that she can start to affect the events. She begins to change things and help have an impact.
Unable to tell anyone because she knows they wouldn't believe her, Amanda realises that Leo is reliving his birthday as well. This forces the two to make up as they realise the only way they can solve whatever is happening is by working together. They become friends again, much to delight to their families, who have been tied together since Amanda and Leo were born.
The two show kindness while helping everyone and realise that their repeating days could have something to do with their ancestors. There was an incident that was exactly the same in the past. The two turn into detectives and skip school (do NOT do that) to speak to someone who knows the history of the feud from the past.
This leads the two to find Amanada's ancestor's diary that contains details of the feud and the odd ending to it, which appeared to come out of nowhere. The only person who seems to know everything is the bus driver, Angelica. She appears to be the only one who Amanda and Leo can talk to about anything. Yet, at the same time, she is hiding secrets from them.
I loved watching Amanda and Leo work together to solve the mystery of why their birthdays kept repeating. I am pleased to say that the pair managed to solve the mystery and the joy for Amanda as she woke up to find her birthday was over made me feel joy as well.
Well, that's all from me this month. I'll make sure Ellieanarose gets some reading done before the Farmer's Faire for you all.
Lots of love,
Briellerose xxx
