Stone, Phoebe. Romeo Blue.

Stone, Phoebe.  Romeo Blue.   Scholastic Press  2013  346p  ISBN 978-0-545-44360-9  hs    VG    Historical fiction     

Flissy knows about spies.  Her parents are spies for the Allies overseas.  They left her with relatives in the United States while they carried out their missions.  Life should be quiet and peaceful, but Flissy finds herself falling in love with Derek (who has other things on his mind) and handling publishers who are interested in Bob Henley’s poetry (since he has joined the military). When Flissy’s mother unexpectedly returns home, Flissy must deal with more challenges.

Stone obviously respects and validates her young characters’ feelings and thoughts.  Much of the novel is about relationships.  Flissy discovers that her biological father is not the man married to her biological mother.  Derek is trying to forge a connection with his absentee father.  Flissy’s Aunt Mimi and the postman, Bob Henley, want to marry.  Flissy is “in love” with Derek, even though the feeling may not be reciprocated.  The emotions and relationships ring true.

Less believable is the story line in which Flissy’s parents, who are spies, carelessly leave important evidence where others may easily discover it.  Still, for readers who enjoy the exploits of adventurous girls, Romeo Blue will be an engaging, quick read.            

Summary: Growing up in a coastal town in the United States during World War II, Flissy experiences her first love, while coping with the return of her mother who has been serving as a spy overseas.  Picking up where The Romeo and Juliet Code left off, Phoebe Stone weaves in a myriad of details about everyday life during World War II in this sequel, and even more details about life in a coastal area at a time when spies were thought to be everywhere. 

Spies-Fiction, Romance-Fiction                              --Hillary Welliver

Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet.

Ford, Jamie Hotel On The Corner of Bitter and Sweet.
Ballantine see Random 2009 290p 24.00 978-0-345-50533-0 hs/adult

When possessions of interned Japanese-American citizens are unearthed from the basement of Seattle's recently renovated Panama Hotel, Henry reminisces about his childhood sweetheart and wonders what happened to her and her family. Just before the Japanese internment during W.W.II, 12 year old Henry befriends Keiko, another scholarship student at his all white private school. Both are ostracized and bullied by other students and work together in the school cafeteria to earn their keep. Henry is first-generation Chinese American; Keiko is of Japanese decent. Henry's father, a fervent Chinese nationalist shuns the Japanese, whose section of the city borders Chinatown. Keiko's family is fond of Henry and is supportive of their friendship. Their world is turned upside down as the Japanese-Americans are sent to internment camps. Forty years later, possessions of the Japanese Americans are unearthed from the basement of Seattle's newly renovated Panama Hotel. A recently widowed Henry reminisces about the times he and Keiko spent together and wonders what happened to Keiko and her family. His college age son tries to assist Henry in is quest to find out. This story, with chapters highlighting both Henry's childhood years in 1942 and his current (1982) life, creates a stunning portrait of life during the war era and how the internment destroyed Seattle's Japanese community and damaged families. This also a hopeful mystery that begs for a happy ending. This book is recommended for books of note and would be an excellent follow-up to Farewell to Manzanar. T. Weinraub