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Post by wiggir13 on Jan 27, 2013 11:13:48 GMT -5
I'm still trying to get over Stacey wearing a silk teddy! Wth!
Zoar, I reread this thread and it appears that it sparked our reread... Which I am now really just trying to read the ough these messes!
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Post by zoar3 on Jan 27, 2013 18:15:09 GMT -5
^Where are you in the re-read? I've abandoned ship at least temporarily. I was very surprised to read that racy convo between Stacey and Claudia. I wonder if Ellen Miles made a mistake or just didn't think about what she was saying?
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Post by wiggir13 on Jan 27, 2013 19:52:01 GMT -5
I'm on kristy and mr mom but oh man I just need a break!
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Post by zoar3 on Aug 8, 2014 20:05:55 GMT -5
I reread for the MA and Logan dressed up as Santa and Mrs. Claus and the idea of most all the charges (Jamie should have been invited though) sharing in the holiday tales. I would have liked seeing one of Claudia's watercolor drawings of the Christmas story. Otherwise, I still get so angry with Stacey for not, particularly after discovering the hair brush and broken/replaced vase, taking Carrot home with her. Perhaps she needed to better read the title of this book, "Stacey and the Mystery at the EMPTY house." Carrot made the house never empty. I also think she should have done that in the beginning or (much) better, the Johannsen's should have either had Carrot stay with a neighbor or friend or hired an evening/over night sitter. Stacey could have come in the mornings and even afternoons still but that way Carrot would be cared for all the time. I just realized there were more baby-sitting chapters than I thought: Kristy at the Arnolds when she spilled the beans about the sleigh ride (the Arnolds' Christmas tree reminded me of the Schiavones and also the one Karen's little house neighbors get for the Druckers). Completely un-necessary MA at the Kuhns--much better that chapter if it had been more about the charge's planning (so we could read about it) their surprises or Stacey taking Carrot home with her. The third job was Mal and Jessi potato printing at the Pikes. I am typically a big Pike fan and do enjoy their chapters but this one really was also sort of blah. This story was one time where the BSC should have gotten mixed up with the Stoneybrook Police as in notified one of their parents and then as Oldhickory once posted alerted the police as well. Bill, "dear friend," or not still rubs me the wrong way. He could have left a message for the Johanssen's at their hotel. Dr. J truly seemed very surprised to see him at the train station. That's another thing, I have never heard of taking a train to the airport! I am guessing someone drove the Johanssen's to the train station and that somehow Bill arranged with whoever that was that he would meet them on their return trip and drive them home? I hope our older members Oldhickory and Wiggirl are doing well and will come back to let us know that sometime.
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andrew
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 353
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Post by andrew on Oct 8, 2016 8:51:36 GMT -5
So-so book. I expected the ending to be predictable (that the intruder would be a harmless homeless person) but the actual ending was worse than predictable. The most interesting part was Stacey describing/defending her and the others' cold reaction to Mary Anne in #79, that even though Mary Anne didn't intend to cause harm the club's reputation and, related, the members' earnings were really important. Although that's inconsistent with her become less interested in the club soon after. I think this was the book where Mary Anne somewhat annoyingly and out-of-character tried to avoid the kid charges learning about burglaries, she would more often, unless they were really little, try to have them informed and prepared.
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Post by oldmeanie on Jan 28, 2023 23:43:04 GMT -5
This one is kind of underwhelming, but not bad. I actually really like the buildup to the mystery; I'd absolutely be freaked out if I found empty glasses and things out of place if I was house-sitting. Then again, I would've contacted the homeowner. I guess in 1994 there might not have been a way if they're out of the country, but Stacey absolutely should have told an adult. I agree she should've taken Carrot to her house instead.
I really don't like the conclusion of the "mystery." I don't buy the Johanssens not telling Stacey about Bill, Bill not telling them he'd be there (their arrangement is odd. Not odd that they'd let him stay in their house when he's in Stoneybrook on business, but odd that he just comes and goes without saying anything), Carrot not knowing Bill and his presence stressing him out... yeah, it's just really weird.
I do like the details about house sitting. I like the sleepover at Jessi's too. The beginning mentioning Maureen living in Paris and speaking French is so random. I wonder if later books will mention this. I thought the kids' surprise at the party was cute and thought the gifts were pretty good (aside from Logan's paperweight... what was that lol). I am kind of disturbed that Stacey wore a silk teddy. Wtf she's 13.
I expected there to be foreshadowing to Stacey v the BSC since that's the next Stacey book chronologically, but there isn't aside from Stacey mentioning she could spend more time with Robert. Huh. Maybe the mysteries don't include much of this.
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,254
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Post by oldhickory on Jan 30, 2023 11:06:35 GMT -5
I am kind of disturbed that Stacey wore a silk teddy. Wtf she's 13. Agree! Teddies are lingerie, or AT MINIMUM pajamas. Definitely not something you would wear in public. Who even makes them in kids sizes?
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Post by fernmariposa919 on Aug 22, 2023 21:08:06 GMT -5
So usually when I read a BSC mystery for the first time, I try to guess whodunit before the end. I admit, with the book, I was a bit stumped. At first, when reading the summary, I thought it was going to be Carrot being the reason for the "strange" things happening at the house. I'm glad they didn't go with that because that would have made Stacey look really stupid. But once Stacey's telling us about the sink in the glass that she's *sure* she washed and put away or the coffee maker being on or the house smelling of toast, well, obviously a dog couldn't do those things. Then I thought maybe Stacey just forgot that she didn't wash the glass and maybe the coffee machine was on a timer like everyone suggested. Though, you'd think the Johanssen's would have unplugged it.
But that didn't explain why the house smelled like toast. The red hair in the brush was puzzling. The creepiest part is when the broken vase was replaced. Yeah, you could tell explain it accidentally being broken by Carrot, but when it was replaced? Uh, hell no. I agree with everyone that Stacey should have at least taken Carrot with her for the night.
Also, I knew that the redheaded escaped convict and the redheaded meter reader were just RED herrings, heh. And isn't this the second escaped convict to escape in Stoneybrook in about two years? That's a little troubling! I thought Stoneybrook was supposed to be safe!
The whole thing with a friend of the Johanssen's staying at their house was a bit of a stretch. First of all, who stays at a house when nobody is there? I don't care if Mrs. J gave him permission, that's just weird. And it was super convenient that he came after they left so Mrs. J couldn't tell Stacey about him. And that the note he wrote for Stacey was chewed up by Carrot. And that he always left first thing in the morning and came back super late at night....what the hell was he doing all day?
The line about Stacey wearing a silk teddy was super weird! First of all, why the hell do we need to know this? Can't she just say she was wearing leggings and big sweater over a turtle neck and a thermal shirt to keep warm? Why do we need to know basically what underwear she's wearing? And maybe she meant a silk slip? A teddy is lingerie, something a grown woman wears, not an effing child! I bet some children who read this were super confused !
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oldhickory
Sitting For The Arnolds
Heather Loves Boys and Gym
Posts: 3,254
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Post by oldhickory on Aug 25, 2023 9:12:07 GMT -5
I went away last weekend and had to arrange a sitter for my dog. It was so stressful to leave him behind! I can't imagine how the Johanssens were fine leaving Carrot at the house for that long with just a teenager for company or enrichment. He should have been boarded. A schnauzer bladder can't be very big.
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