Clearing out my Kindle, Part 2
Jamie Edwards has loved everything about growing up on a pumpkin patch, but ever since her cousin Milan Woods arrived, things have really stunk. Jamie can’t imagine it was easy for Milan to leave her life back in Los Angeles and move to Average, Illinois, population one thousand. But it’s kind of hard to feel sorry for her since (a) Milan’s drop-dead gorgeous; (b) she’s the daughter of two of Hollywood’s hottest film stars; (c) she’s captured the attention of everyone in town, including Danny, Jamie’s crush since forever; and (d) she’s about to steal the title of Pumpkin Princess right out from underneath Jamie!
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Jamie Edwards has everything set out in front of her to become Pumpkin Princess this year. She is hardworking, works on her father’s pumpkin patch, and is well known and liked among the customers and community. This will be the year she sits upon that carnival float, and Danny, who Jamie has been crushing on forever, will finally notice her.
That is until all her plans come crumbling down with the arrival of her cousin, Milan. Milan’s arrival was supposed to bring joy and fun, like when they were little, but Milan has changed since Jamie last saw her. Being the daughter of two Hollywood stars is one thing, but Milan is gorgeous and stands out among all the country folk. Slowly, Milan seems to steal everything Jamie loves, and Jamie is left wondering how she can possibly compete for Pumpkin Princess and win when even Jamie’s parents seem to prefer Milan over her.
Jamie is an incredibly likeable character. She adores her job, even when it involves running up a pumpkin tower to rescue a small child before a pumpkin avalanche can cause damage and destruction. The Patch is described in such a way that I am now desperate to visit it, and I maybe even want to work there. It sounds like a wonderful place, and Jamie seems like a friend I would love to have. She is fun, easy-going, not to mention incredibly awkward whenever Danny is around, or even mentioned.
Jamie’s frustration about Milan invading her life is more than clear. I started to hate Milan as well. She is incredibly rude, stuck up, and somehow everyone loves her. She is supposed to work on the Patch, but gets away with the bare minimum and gets more praise than Jamie ever has. The family’s entire diet even changes when Milan announces she is a vegetarian and basically only eats things that are green or tofu. And, for some reason, Jamie’s parents change everything to accommodate. Jamie is sent back and forth, and Milan gets the praise. Somehow, even Danny seems to speak to Milan more than he speaks to Jamie. It is infuriating for Jamie, and the emotions come across so well I was infuriated for Jamie. Everything is unfair, especially considering how hard she works.
Of course, Jamie has her friends who see Milan how Jamie sees her, but those friends are few. It is mainly just Sara, who works at the candy apple stand on the Patch. And while she can try and subside Jamie’s anger with sweets, it can’t work forever. Jamie has been dreaming of being Pumpkin Princess for years, and then Milan announces she is entering the competition? An outsider, who knows nothing about the honour of being Pumpkin Princess, and seems to hate everything about the area? After everyone else has already chosen Milan over her, Jamie is obviously scared that she is going to lose her dream to Milan. Who wouldn’t vote for the daughter of two Hollywood stars over her, a country girl with pigtails and overalls?
Jamie is not a perfect character, she does make some mistakes, and nothing is without consequences. But, the consequences, while bad, teach her that becoming bitter and petty is not the way to go forwards, no matter how bad the initial situation was.
This isn’t a particularly long book, the writing style is easy to read and the pages fly by. It is the kind of book you can sit down with in the evening and finish within two hours. It is not a deep book, full of emotions and difficult scenes, but rather a light read that you won’t want to put down.
Kristina Springer is the author of Cotton Candy Wishes, Cici Reno #MiddleSchoolMatchmaker, My Fake Boyfriend Is Better Than Yours (a Scholastic Bestseller and 2012 YALSA Quick Pick book), The Espressologist (a 2010 Society of School Librarians International Honor Book and 2014 Illinois Reads Book that has been purchased for film by Michael Eisner’s Vuguru), and Just Your Average Princess. She has a Masters in Writing from DePaul University and resides in a suburb of Chicago with her husband and children. Learn more about Kristina on her website: KristinaSpringer.com.
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