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The Girl with the Red Balloon
The Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
52 posts | 35 read | 40 to read
When sixteen-year-old Ellie Baum accidentally time-travels via red balloon to 1988 East Berlin, she's caught up in a conspiracy of history and magic. She meets members of an underground guild in East Berlin who use balloons and magic to help people escape over the Wall--but even to the balloon makers, Ellie's time travel is a mystery. When it becomes clear that someone is using dark magic to change history, Ellie must risk everything--including her only way home--to stop the process.
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Maggie4483
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Happy New Year!!!! 🎆
Starting off this year like I finished the last…behind (still working on December‘s #FoodAndLit. But the German Cabbage and Sausage is a New Year‘s Day tradition).

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Maggie4483
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This line hit.

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Lunakay
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Pickpick

I was sceptical at first but it turned out a very different and interesting read! Especially the villain's motivations were something unexpected and I liked the philosophical questions behind the overall story.
Could've been 50 pages longer to tie up some of the loose ends, but maybe there is a direct sequel planned?
???/5
Also I got "99 Red Balloons" stuck in my head for the next days?

#foodandlit
@Catsandbooks @Texreader

Catsandbooks Glad you ended up liking it! 😊 2y
17 likes1 comment
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Lunakay
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I really wonder sometimes...when people research books and incorporate words from foreign languages...does anyone check those at all??

Well, nobody cared to check the German words in this one. Not even little bit...on the bright side: I'm still laughing at "freundschaftsbezeigungen" which is not a thing. German famously allows you to lump words together, but they have to be actual words.?

Does someone share this specific bookish problem??

Dilara I‘ve seen this with French words as well. There‘s a whole genre of light novels set in France with very cringy and incorrect ”French” sentences. Also ”sacré bleu” is not a thing. The word is ”sacrebleu” and if the character isn‘t a musqueteer, don‘t have them say it🤣 2y
Dilara @Dilara *musketeer 😅That‘s Muphry‘s law in action 2y
Lunakay @Dilara Hahaha, I will note that for my next French interaction😂 Usually these are all basic things, translation software could absolutely cope with, so I really don't know where they get this from, it's a mystery! 🕵🏼‍♀️ 2y
11 likes3 comments
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Catsandbooks
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Pickpick

4.5/5 ⭐️ I really loved these characters and the magic of this world. Only complaint is that there were multiple points that weren't wrapped up and it ended on a cliffhanger. There is a second book but it is not a continuation of the story but new characters in the same universe.

#FoodandLit Buddy Read Germany 🇩🇪

wanderinglynn That sounds frustrating. You‘d think the second book would close the loop on those open storylines. 2y
Catsandbooks @wanderinglynn I'm hoping she continues the series more and will eventually close everything up 2y
TheBookHippie I feel the same way!!! Ugh. 2y
47 likes3 comments
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Catsandbooks
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Hello #FoodandLit Buddy Readers! 🇩🇪

I'm quite enjoying this book! I like the different POVs and the magic. I have an idea of who's tampering with the balloons but we shall see. Thoughts on this one?

JenReadsAlot That castle is so amazing! 2y
Lunakay I'm 100 pages in and like the overall idea and the magic so far. The German is quite bad though😅 2y
Lunakay I'm also not a fan of Ellie...she seems a bit clichéd so far (shy, "sidekick" but so, so pretty) 2y
Catsandbooks @Lunakay oh I'm sorry the German is bad. I thought Ellie got better as the story progressed but I definitely see what you mean in the beginning. 2y
Lunakay @Catsandbooks oh please, don't be, it's hilarious 🤣 I secretly love noticing translation mistakes 🤭 Looking forward to the character growth then! 2y
48 likes5 comments
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LitsyEvents
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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repost for @Catsandbooks & @Texreader:

Final #FoodandLit #BuddyRead is The Girl with the Red Balloon 🎈

This is a casual read-at-your-own-pace buddy read. Anyone is welcome to join! Please let me know if you would like to be tagged in the check-in posts.

For 2023, instead of buddy reads we will have a large book list that everyone can add to in order to help you find books for each country!

TheBookHippie ♥️ 2y
28 likes1 comment
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Catsandbooks
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Final #FoodandLit Buddy Read is The Girl with the Red Balloon 🎈

This is a casual read-at-your-own-pace buddy read. Anyone is welcome to join! Please let me know if you would like to be tagged in the check-in posts.

For 2023, instead of buddy reads we will have a large book list that everyone can add to in order to help you find books for each country!

TheBookHippie Waiting on library but I‘m in! 2y
Roary47 Oooo yes please! 2y
Maggie4483 I‘m in!! 2y
50 likes3 comments
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Sharpeipup
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Not a shabby (or shallow) view.
#bookncoffee

29 likes1 stack add1 comment
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LiterRohde
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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“What oppression like this did was inhibit individual connections. Personal connections created a community, and community wasn‘t the opposite of individualism. We were collectively a whole made of millions of moving parts, each of us our own gear interlocking with another gear and turning the world a little farther in the right direction.”

#QuotsyAug19 | 5: #Balloon

📷: Made with Typorama

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jmtrivera
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Mehso-so

A slow build, but I enjoyed it better by the end. Btwn Ellie & Kai's investigation into the use of magic balloons to murder & scenes from WWII, this can be a pretty heavy & somber read. Locke builds good character relationships, & explores the reasons why people make the choices they do, whether it's to resist, run away, fall in love, or do things that seem unthinkable. Not the right time for this book for me, but maybe the 2nd in the future.

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BillBlume
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Mehso-so

Finished (FINALLY!) The Girl with the Red Balloon earlier this week. I was excited to read this book, especially after meeting the author at the NoVaTeen Book Festival this past March. The book took a great twist near the middle as it turns into something of a murder mystery, but the book doesn‘t really stick the landing. In general, the book spins its wheels a lot.

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mhillis
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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My favorite this month was The Girl With the Red Balloon! #aprilwrapup

Crazeedi Looks like you read some very interesting books! 6y
mhillis @Crazeedi Yes! Not too bad considering the semester just started!! 6y
StillLookingForCarmenSanDiego Great reads! 📖💖 6y
56 likes3 comments
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BillBlume
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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While most of this novel, so far, has taken place in 1988 East Berlin, there are also chapters set during 1941 Poland. The Poland chapters are difficult to read. There is nothing glamorous or romantic in this part of the story. This is not a criticism. Locke simply captures the grim state of this part of the world in WWII. #ColdWar #WWII #YA

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jmtrivera
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Tonight's our wedding anniversary, so I'm getting my #BookandBeverage in early for #SpringintoReading. Hubby loves me in all my nerdery, but he will draw the line at me posing my Kindle next to the wine at anniversary dinner! 😂

britt_brooke Happy anniversary! 6y
jmtrivera @britt_brooke Thank you! 6y
readordierachel Happy anniversary! 🎉🎊 6y
See All 7 Comments
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🤣🤣🤣 Happy anniversary!!!! 6y
Chrissyreadit Happy Anniversary! 6y
vkois88 Lol that's fair 😂😂 I hope y'all enjoyed 6y
27 likes7 comments
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BillBlume
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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This second chapter works so well even though it switches from Ellie‘s POV to Kai‘s. Some writer‘s might use Ellie‘s ignorance of the situation as a way to explain what‘s happening, but Kai‘s POV actually works better here because of all the things he does know and doesn‘t share right away with Ellie. #POV

jmtrivera I just started that chapter, and I'm finding it more engaging than the first, personally. I think you have a point! 6y
BillBlume @jmtrivera I‘m really digging this book so far. Just starting chapter four. 6y
jmtrivera @BillBlume It's been a slow burn for me, probably because I haven't had a chance to sit down with it for more than a few minutes. Finally was able to get past chapter 2 tonight! 6y
21 likes3 comments
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Merethebookgal
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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The Journey to the Past Panel was so interesting!
“I like to set my books in a time period that‘s at a precipice of change” Katherine Locke
“The line blurs between research and procrastination” Robin Talley
“History is like a Hydra” and “The irradiated water worked fine until his jaw fell off” 🤣 Libba Bray #NTBF19

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BillBlume
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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I‘ve been doing a lot of Cold War research during the past year, so Katherine Locke‘s reference to JFK (without directly mentioning him) has already won me over. Looking forward to hearing her speak at this Saturday‘s NoVaTeen book festival. #NoVaTeen #NoVaTeenBF

jmtrivera Have that checked out, but not sure I'll get to it in time! There are just so many authors this year! 6y
BillBlume @jmtrivera agreed! I‘ve read so few of this year‘s authors at NoVaTeen. 6y
jmtrivera @BillBlume Such a delightful problem to have. 😁 6y
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meeshmom
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke

"The Holocaust happened not because of one person, but because of many people believing in an ideology promoted by a charismatic man at the right time and place, and millions of people colluding. History is not singular. Events do not happen in a vacuum."

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meeshmom
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke

"The people never mentioned in history books still made history."

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meeshmom
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Sometimes you spend hours (?!?!) making a list of all your TBR books and then spend another 30" looking for ANY of them on OverDrive.

Well... Guess I'll just pick a random for my first read of 2019.
Hoping it's a good one!

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GeekGirlOnAQuest
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this book - normally I avoid books about the Holocaust (Night and Schindler‘s List destroyed me) but this was done in such an interesting way that it just drew me in and kept me reading. After reading this and The Night Circus I‘m realizing that books about magic just entrance me and make me so happy. Those two books are my favorites I‘ve read this year and I need to find more like them!

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CogsOfEncouragement
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Friday - When I share one of my blunders from the week and allow you to laugh along with me, with the intention that you feel better about your own (and if it is bookish I share it here on Litsy too):

Yep, that is paper from the sharp white cheddar cheese in my sandwich. Yep, it took me a few bites to realize. Yep, I was reading. #BookNerdProblems #ForRealFriday

BethwithBooks I did the same thing this week!!! 6y
CogsOfEncouragement @bethwithbooks LOL I feel so close to you! LOL 6y
LeahBergen 😂😂 6y
CouronneDhiver Oops! 🙊 6y
16 likes4 comments
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KYutzy4
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I have a to do list a mile long yet snuggled up reading just trumped every single task.

LazyDays Yes!!💗💗 6y
tracey38 💛💛 6y
36 likes2 comments
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ItsAnotherJen
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Pickpick

This was a Big Library Read pick, which made me curious enough to read it. Plus, it has magic in it. I'm a sucker for magic!
Ellie sees a red balloon and grabs it. She instantly time travels to 1988 East Berlin where the world is still chaos and the wall is still intact.
To put it simply- balloons are a magical way for people to be saved from death. Ellie wasn't supposed to be sent back in time.
Parts were confusing, parts were intriguing...

MinDea This might be up my alley! @Robothugs you might like this one too? 6y
GondorGirl The sequel just came out last week! 6y
JazzFeathers Well, this sounds very weird 6y
93 likes3 stack adds4 comments
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Myhusbandhatesreading
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Pickpick

Read as part of the #biglibraryread and was greatly surprised. 😊

Bookladylinda I was in the fence with this one, maybe I should check it out. 🤔 6y
Bloomingjen I‘m reading it also- good so fa 6y
54 likes1 stack add2 comments
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CogsOfEncouragement
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Pickpick

I read this through the Libby app after hearing about the #BigLibraryRead
I enjoyed the magical, heartfelt story. I took the advice of the author to reread chapter one when I finished. Superb advice. #LibraryEBook

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Skeeterisme
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Pickpick

A wonderful #biglibraryread

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Laura317
Pickpick

I just completed this from the library Big Read. The ending was not what I expected, but it was perfect. The time travel element was interesting. I could have done without the F-bombs, but other than that, ⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Laura317
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Laura317 There are so many good lines in this book! 6y
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Laura317
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke

“Fear was the foundation to all types of walls...” TRUTH

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EllanaRose
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Pickpick

Oh. Oh this book. I'm not going to be able to tell you what I think about it without giving spoilers, so please just read it yourself. It's... It's beautiful and tragic and brilliant
#biglibraryread

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EllanaRose
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Likely to be finishing this today. It's such a brilliant book, I thoroughly recommend taking part in the #biglibraryread to get it immediately

BethM I wish they did it in audio too! 6y
EllanaRose @BethM - Agreed, it would be lovely to listen to this 6y
39 likes2 comments
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WorldsOkayestStepMom
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Hi. Has anybody heard anything about this?! I opened my Libby app tonight and this was the first thing I saw. It seems like a pretty awesome program! #biglibraryread

LibrarianRyan Yes. It‘s been running 10-15 years. It used to be a library could choose one of 10 books a year. The library would apply for a grant to help cover cost and use the official title. A few years ago Overdrive became the official partner (or maybe solo) for the project and offers the same book to anyone using their apps for free. Any one or any library can participate. 6y
WorldsOkayestStepMom @LibrarianRyan I had no idea! Thanks so much for the info!! 💖 6y
35 likes2 comments
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EllanaRose
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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I'm not far off finishing this #biglibraryread already! It's brilliant, I thoroughly recommend it

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Laura317
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Starting this tonight.

Aseleener Is this the Overdrive Big Library Read? 6y
Well-ReadNeck @Aseleener Yes! I was contemplating picking it up. Definitely motivated by the possibility of some convo on Litsy. 6y
Aseleener @Well-ReadNeck 👍 Sounds interesting. 6y
See All 7 Comments
CogsOfEncouragement I started today too. ✌🏼❤️📚 6y
InnerSavvy I downloaded it but have not started. Is it good? 6y
Laura317 @Aseleener Yes! You and @Well-ReadNeck should pick it up. @CogsOfEncouragement Yay! @InnerSavvy I am just starting, but do far it‘s good. (edited) 6y
Well-ReadNeck Just downloaded!!! 👏🏼👏🏼 6y
43 likes7 comments
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CogsOfEncouragement
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This seems outrageously cool. https://biglibraryread.com

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MelissaSue81
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Any Littens doing this? #biglibraryread

Laura317 Oooh! Sounds good. I love a time travel book. I‘ll check it out. 6y
Sharpeipup I just saw this today on Libby. 6y
60 likes3 comments
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EllanaRose
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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Change of plan! Since Circe is the book for next month, I'll postpone it until then. Instead I'm taking part in the #biglibraryread for the first time. Never even knew this existed!

39 likes1 stack add
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LiterRohde
Girl with the Red Balloon | Katherine Locke
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#YAWednesday

📷: Google Books

TheFunkyBookworm Ohhhhh this sounds sooo good! Stacking! Good luck! 🍀💜 6y
65 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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kate_reads
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Has anyone read? I‘d love to hear reviews 🤗 #bookmail

CogsOfEncouragement Many are reading this now, including me. #BigLibraryRead www.biglibraryread.com 6y
30 likes1 comment
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ness
Pickpick

Loved this one about a modern Jewish girl who goes back in time to East Berlin in 1988, and how another girl saved her grandfather from a Nazi death camp.

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JenD1
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Pickpick

So many quotable lines in this book! I really enjoyed it.

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ness
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I was in a local public library‘s teen room co-leading a workshop on using fanfiction to get better at writing when I tripped and fell and this book somehow came home with me.

book_princessBritt HA! I brought home 2 books after our workshop 7y
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courtneybee
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Reading & tea on a rainy day 👌🏼 Finally feeling like fall after a week of summer weather, which I love in the summer but starts to feel wrong once the leaves have started falling. 🍂🍁

(Also, hi Litsy! It's been a while)

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AshleyKorinE
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Pickpick

Oh my gosh this book blows me away. Locke wrote some really beautiful words that touched my heart and made me cry. Ellie is the granddaughter of a Jewish holocaust survivor visiting Germany in present day. Magic happens and she time travels to East Berlin in 1988 and lives 6 months in a whole different world. I loved every single character in this book as they all had their purpose and were amazing. It's gorgeous. I highly recommend this book!

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AshleyKorinE
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"But it didn't feel like enough for me. That people had to suffer so the wheels of history could turn. It didn't feel fair. There had to be a way to help the people around me now, before the protest and the wall came down and reunification happened."

Might as well be 2017, people still suffer... What is this life?

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AshleyKorinE
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"The people never mentioned in history books still made history"

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gasbagcharm
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1. Northern NJ
2. The Girl With the Red Balloon by Katherine Locke
3. What We Lose by Zinzi Clemmons & Goodbye Vitamin by Rach Khong
4. Nancy Drew mysteries
5. ???
6. When We Set the Dark on Fire by Taylor Kay Mejia

#letstalkaboutbooksbaby