Review Detail

What worked: Enchanting tale filled with a touch of humor set in 1987. What I really enjoyed about this story had to be its unique twist on the premise, 'what would you change about your life' if you had a magical notebook? In this tale, Gracie finds a notebook in her grandmother's house and writes down a passage only to find it come to life the next day. Only not in the way she expected.

This book is set in 1987. I'm real picky on that time period as I remember it all too well. Takaoka weaves in some of the trivia but not to the point that it's overkill. The story could very well take place in the present time.

Good pacing with relatable characters with a touch of humor makes for one engrossing tale!

Gracie's antics are humorous at times and very reliable. When she's uprooted from her home and best friend to move into the house of her grandmother, who is dealing with Alzheimer's, Grace struggles with how she'll fit in. My own grandfather had Alzheimer's, which is a terrible disease, and I could totally relate what Grace and her family were going through.

There's many scenes that are hilarious. The one where she cuts seventh period to be with the hot kid and what happens afterward is totally funny. The cute boy next door who is a math nerd is someone you can't but hope he'll hook up with Grace. The scene of Katherine, her grandmother, taking off and the fear that Grace feels is something my own family had to go through when my grandfather became lost.

With the magical notebook there also are consequences. Some of those have Grace questioning her choices and if what is happening in her life is because of the randomness of life or the book.

Engaging, magical with a big dose of heartfelt humor, this novel wins with its unique twist on the possibility of turning fictional tales into reality.