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Post by zoar3 on Oct 10, 2012 16:19:18 GMT -5
^Aw, that is sweet that you and your sister were close, Oldhickory. As an only child, there were most definitely times I wished for a brother or sister.
This time around, I felt more of a cozy vibe from a lot of scenes. The story was nostalgic in a way because it reminded me of BSC books past that were more focused on regular days and the girls' everyday lives. Still love how we got to see Kristy, Stacey, and Char hang out and Stacey and Kristy act like closer friends. This was also a welcome break from later books where it seems all the BSC members have to be present at some bigger event or happening.
What struck me as sad, was that neither Mr. Hennessey nor his house is ever mentioned again. Seemed like this mystery helped bring some of the members closer together and once it dissolved...that was it. But then, I still wish Mr. H had lived and been a part of a future book. Oh, I would have also loved to have read firsthand about Maureen and Charlotte spending Monday together. I wonder if they talked about Stacey at all?
Finally, at the very beginning, Stacey recounts dinner with her Dad. Mr. McGill had the gall to suggest Stacey see Dr. Werner on her next trip to NYC. I know the McGills' divorce was bitter and at this point, Ed and Maureen are not too happy with one another. I'd hope though Ed would not have completely forgotten that Stacey's doctor (I'm assuming he was told) had said he needed to be even more careful and to possibly give Maureen a call about that. Maybe if there had been better communication, #43 never would have happened.
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Post by sillybillygoogoo on Oct 11, 2012 9:02:15 GMT -5
I liked the Highlights scene too .
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scrounge
Sitter-In-Training
Boo and bullfrogs!
Posts: 414
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Post by scrounge on Oct 11, 2012 22:26:05 GMT -5
I like how much care Stacey takes in getting the guest room ready for Charlotte, but that's about the only bit I like. This is my least favorite regular series book. It derails me every time I try to read the series straight through. I just get bored by it and can barely make myself finish.
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starrynight
Sitting For The Kuhns
The Royal Diner of Pizza Express
Posts: 4,004
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Post by starrynight on Oct 13, 2012 11:25:10 GMT -5
^ This one isn't one of my favorites, but I've always liked it. Part of that is due to it being one of the first BSC books that I owned. I got it in a #33-#36 boxed set. I also liked the mystery element, and the fact that it wasn't completely solved by the end of the book (Stacey's hallucinations at the end weren't explained).
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Post by maddieruns on Oct 13, 2012 18:15:05 GMT -5
I remember this book was so sad to me because it seemed like the hallucinations occurred to guide the BSC to Mr. Hennessy so he could tell his stories one last time before he died.
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Post by zoar3 on Oct 13, 2012 22:43:52 GMT -5
^Aw, that is really sad..but also an interesting and nice way to look at it Maddieruns. Thanks for the new perspective. I still wish Mr. Hennesey had lived though. Uncle Joe didn't grow much on me. I'd still like to believe Mr. H was a good guy. A bit odd maybe but it seemed like he might have enjoyed keeping in touch with the girls.
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Post by virgoscorpio on Oct 13, 2012 22:45:17 GMT -5
^ This one isn't one of my favorites, but I've always liked it. Part of that is due to it being one of the first BSC books that I owned. I got it in a #33-#36 boxed set. I also liked the mystery element, and the fact that it wasn't completely solved by the end of the book (Stacey's hallucinations at the end weren't explained). Mmmmmmm. I loved box sets. I never saw them on a bookstore, but if I did when I was little I would have probably have gotten soooo excited. All hail the box-set creator!
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Post by wenonah4th on Mar 24, 2014 12:20:35 GMT -5
Highlights has changed a bit and yet stayed the same since I was that age.
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Amalia
Sitting For The Braddocks
Her Original Point of View
Posts: 3,664
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Post by Amalia on Mar 24, 2014 13:59:05 GMT -5
I remember this book was so sad to me because it seemed like the hallucinations occurred to guide the BSC to Mr. Hennessy so he could tell his stories one last time before he died. Maybe he was so lonely that he willed their company to him?
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Post by zoar3 on Apr 22, 2014 10:22:35 GMT -5
I reread and take back how I said Mr. Hennessey was so endearing. This time around he seemed very creepy and it bothered me that despite Claudia's face being "white as a sheet," he kept going with his stories. I had also never really realized that 8 year old Charlotte was audience to all these tales, too and how wrong that was. If at first Mr. H wanted to share some tale regarding his house, maybe how he and someone else at one time had some type of mystery there that would be fine. I am imaging him enjoying spinning a tale, smiling even a tiny bit at the end, and saying something like, "You (meaning the girls) know that story was all in good fun, don't you?" He could have even shared some real life type of kid mystery (thinking of Emily, Jr being rat-napped or even the Mystery at Claudia's House) and then invited the girls to come back to visit him. I do still love getting to read firsthand about Charlotte and Stacey being close. The only part that still reads wrong to me (probably from my own unrelated but similar in message memories) is when Stacey gets Charlotte to take her medicine by showing Charlotte what she (Stacey) goes through in terms of her diabetes. I understand the reasoning but think there could have been a better way. Anyway, what did Maureen and Charlotte do all day Monday? I do enjoy the baby-sitting chapters usually very much but in this case would have given up the one with either Kristy and her siblings or the Pikes (loved how Myriah and Gabbie decided Mike Mulligan should live in the Little House--the book not at Lisa's home for a chapter about Char/Maureen.
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Natasha
New To Stoneybrook
BSC Reread Update: no 115:Jessi's big break.
Posts: 198
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Post by Natasha on Sept 22, 2014 20:43:34 GMT -5
Because I'm a bit of a mystery freak and LOVE ghost stories, I really liked this one. Oh and it helped I loved Charlotte and her friendship with Stacey. Stacey and her mom were really sweet to her despite the fact they didn't pick up on Charlotte's symptoms. Charlotte not eating was a sign and Stacey just assumed she was just homesick.
And there's foreshadowing to Stacey's Emergency again, she hasn't been well lately.
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Natasha
New To Stoneybrook
BSC Reread Update: no 115:Jessi's big break.
Posts: 198
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Post by Natasha on Sept 22, 2014 20:47:04 GMT -5
I love the scene where Charlotte goes to the meeting and Kristy lets her pretend to be part of the club - like an honorary jr member. It was so sweet and showed a bit of Kristy's softer side, which I like, instead of her being a tyrant like usual at the meetings. I had forgotten about that part and will have to reread that scene at least They were all so sweet with her, that is actually one of my favourite scenes in the series, and loved her picking up the phone and going: " Baby Sitters Club, no job to small!"
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Post by virgoscorpio on Jan 1, 2016 13:21:00 GMT -5
I hope that Readers Digest from 1979 is still in Dr. D's office I enjoy this one despite the obvious annoyances, such as the title of the book (it's not really a Stoneybrook mystery, more like a creepy house mystery). I love the NYC story line in the first chapter and enjoyed the babysitting bits in this one (it makes me want to read The Little House!) I enjoyed the parts of Char staying over at Stacey's house for a week; I bet that would have been really cool as a kid. I wanted the spaghetti and meatballs that Maureen makes - I would have gladly eaten Charlotte's portion, haha.
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Natasha
New To Stoneybrook
BSC Reread Update: no 115:Jessi's big break.
Posts: 198
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Post by Natasha on Mar 22, 2017 9:22:49 GMT -5
I've always liked this one even as a kid because Charlotte was my favourite BSC client even back when I was young. I love her relationship with Stacey. I just reread this one and enjoyed it. (I'm rereading all bsc books atm, ones I can get my hands on).
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Post by wistfuldreamer86 on Jan 15, 2020 21:13:43 GMT -5
Not really a big fan of this one. I liked the non-Stacey chapters more than the ones with her in them. I'm just not a fan of the "ghost" stories in the series and this one is no different. My favorite chapter was actually the one with Dawn and Mal doing the Wizard of Oz play with the Pike kids. That sounded like a fun time, lol. And I liked seeing Charlotte at one of the meetings and how special they made her feel at it. Kristy putting the visor on her head was a really sweet touch.
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