| Macy Queen, lives in a perfect world. Her mother and father have given her and her sister everything they've ever wanted in life. They are wealthier than some, because of the business their parents started many years ago that is still in operation today. Macy gets along with all of her family, but she has a special bond with her father. In fact, it seems like sometimes she's the only one who really understands her dad. Her father is an energetic guy, who likes to stay up into the wee hours of the morning to watch infomericials involving crazy and useless contraptions, which he almost always buys. He buys so many of these items, the company starts sending him a free product every month in the mail. Macy and her father love to tinker with these gadgets and bond. They also have a tradition they started many years ago when Macy was a young girl; they get up early in the morning and run together. Her father got Macy hooked on running when she was younger, and now they do it every morning.
One day, however, Macy's life changes forever. One morning, Macy was too tired to get up as she always did. Her father prodded her to get up and come run with him, but she protested and so he left by himself. Feeling guilty, Macy quickly got dressed and ran to join her father five minutes later. But suddenly, she caught sight of her father laying limp on the ground just a few yards ahead. He'd had a heart attack. Her father didn't survive, and he died a few hours later. Since the funeral, Macy stopped seeing the joy in life. She stopped running, her one true joy in life. She isolated herself from her friends and family, and while her sister and mother grieved, she kept it all inside. The only thing that keeps her spirits up is when those packages arrive in the mail. Those packages remind her of her father and they bond they had shared. When her mother tries to donate these items to a charity, Macy sneaks them back into her room in a crawlspace in her closet. It's now three years later, and Macy still hasn't gotten over her father's death. She has, however, started dating a fellow student of hers, Jason, most likely the smartest boy in school. Now, he's off to Brain Camp, where he will mingle with other intellectuals like himself, and in the process, learn more about the success he can achieve in his future. While he's away, he wants Macy to take over his job at the local library, where he's trained her in all the routines she'd need to know. She agrees, because she has nothing better to do, and because she wants to please Jason. All the while, her mother busies herself in the business she and her husband started those many years ago; a real estate agency that not only sells houses, they build them, too. The community the Queens are living in was built by this business, and now, Mrs. Queen throws many parties in their home, trying to sell more and more houses. Since it is now summer, Macy and Jason correspond by email, and though Macy tries to show her affection for Jason, the most he ever talks about in the emails is the time he's spending at Brain Camp or how she should be running the library. One day, Macy writes in her email that she loves Jason, and the next email from him promptly tells her that they should take a break over the summer and maybe see other people. This just about breaks Macy's heart, but she agrees with him, though it's not really what she wants. Since it is summer, her older sister, who has already graduated high school and since has gotten married, comes to visit more often. She hatches this plan that the family should spend a week in August relaxing in the old cabin they used to vacation in every summmer. Everyone agrees, though not whole-heartedly. The summer goes on...Macy hates her job at the library because of her two co-workers, perfectionists who make Macy feel like dirt. The only reason she doesn't quit is because her mother wants her to take responsibility and learn some morals. A few weeks into summer, her mother throws her first big party at the house. A catery company, WISH, was hired to bake the food and serve it to the guests. Macy is told to just stand around and if needed, show people where the bathroom was. (She was pretty good at that.) However, she quickly gets bored and wanders into the kitchen where she meets Delia, the head of the catering business, and expecting mother. She already has a small daughter, who is getting into everything and anything. Macy offers to help, and Delia graciously accepts. Meanwhile, the other servers of WISH are busying themeselves serving the guests. When Macy steps outside to get napkins, she is startled when a boy named Bert jumps out of the bushes and yells, "GOTCHA!". He apologizes profusely after that, helping her pick up all the napkins she had dropped. An older boy, Wes, comes outside to help, and apologizes for his brother. He explains it's a game they play, and they always try to outdo eachother. Macy understands, but thinks it's kind of weird. Later, when the catering company is leaving, Delia offers a job to Macy in the business, because she sure needs to help. Macy declines, but thinks it over later that night after Delia gives her their number anyway. Maybe she should get a change of scenery. Her mother, on the other hand, dissaproves. She thinks Macy has a perfectly good job already at the library. Macy listens to her mother, but disagrees. She decides to take the job, and immediately loves it. Her new co-workers are hesitant at first, but grow to love Macy. Her co-workers include Wes and Bert, brother and nephews of Delia, Kristy, an eccentric, fashion-obsessed young woman, and Monica, a quiet know-it-all. Every night they invite Macy to go out with them, but she declines. She isn't ready to go out for a good time yet. But one night, she says yes, and she finally has the time of her life! Meanwhile, she hasn't shunned the fact that Wes is very cute and nice. She thinks about him a lot, but hates the fact that Jason is still (kind of) her boyfriend. So she ignores her feelings. But soon, she and Wes begin to get to know each other better and she begins to grow to like him even more. They play a game called "Truth" where they reveal deep secrets to each other. Macy talks about feelings she never knew she had, and Wes listens intently. Her mother doesn't approve of her news friends, and soon makes Macy stay away from them. And summer is soon over! Jason will be home, and he's told her he may want to get back together. Does Macy go back to her oh-so-perfect relationship with Jason and her family, or does she finally listen to her heart and lead the life she's been dreaming of? | ||
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Plot & Themes Tone of book? - thoughtful Time/era of story - 1980's-1999 Internal struggle/realization? Yes Is this an adult or child's book? - Adult or Young Adult Book Coping with loss of loved one(s) Yes Loss of... Main Character Gender - Female Profession/status: Age: - a teen Ethnicity/Nationality Main Adversary Identity: - Female Age: - 40's-50's Profession/status: How sensitive is this character? Sense of humor - Mostly serious with occasional humor Intelligence - Average intelligence Setting How much descriptions of surroundings? - 5 () United States Yes The US: - Northeast Writing Style Amount of dialog - roughly even amounts of descript and dialog |
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