About the Book
Book: The Ginnie West Collection
Author: Monique Bucheger
Genre: Christian fiction, middle grade
Book 1: THE SECRET SISTERS CLUB
Twelve-year-old BFF’s Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor, want to be sisters. Ginnie’s widowed dad plus Tillie’s divorced mom could equal a lifetime of round-the-clock girl talk and slumber parties. Too bad Dad vowed to never marry again. Ginnie and Tillie come up with the perfect scheme to change his mind: ‘Operation Secret Sisters’ (aka OSS). After all, if they can’t get Dad to move on, Tillie can’t move in.
Things get more complicated when Ginnie stumbles across her mom’s hidden journals. Ginnie can finally get to know the mother she doesn’t remember and her dad doesn’t talk about—if Dad doesn’t take them away.
Book 2: TROUBLE BLOWS WEST
Putting her body in motion before her brain is in gear creates a mountain of problems for 12 year-old Ginnie West. She is certain that defending her twin brother, Toran, from the biggest bully in sixth grade was the right thing to do. But Ginnie couldn’t be more wrong. She quickly learns that Toran doesn’t appreciate being rescued by a girl any better than Pierce likes being knocked down by one.
When Pierce seeks revenge on Ginnie, Toran sets aside his anger and helps her plot a payback prank at Pierce’s house. Sadly, Ginnie learns that Pierce has a reason for being a bully when she sees his dad drop him to the floor like a ragdoll. Realizing he’s a boy in big trouble, Ginnie decides to be his ally, because he won’t let her be his friend.
Book 3: SIMPLY WEST OF HEAVEN
Twelve-year-old BFFs Ginnie and Tillie are matchmaking geniuses. Sweet! Not long after they schemed to get Ginnie’s widowed dad to fall in love with Tillie’s divorced mom, Ginnie stumbled upon her late mom’s journals, making life even more awesome sauce … until her dad confiscated the journals, determined to protect Ginnie from a danger he won’t name.
Ginnie is counting on her future sister’s help to make Dad change his mind, but Tillie’s not so sure the ghost of Ginnie’s mom will make a good addition to their new family tree. The girls’ world gets flipped upside-down when a blast from the past shows up and makes Tillie go nutburgers. Ginnie is torn between helping her best friend and what could be the answer to her deepest wish.
Click here to get your copy!
About the Author
When Monique isn’t writing, you can find her playing taxi driver to one or more of her 12 children, plotting her next novel, scrapbooking, or being the “Mamarazzi” at any number of child-oriented events.
Even though she realizes there will never be enough hours in any given day, Monique tries very hard to enjoy the journey that is her life. She shares it with a terrific husband, her dozen children, twelve grand-darlings, too many cats, and many real and imaginary friends. She is the author of several books in three series and hopes to write many more.
More from Monique
Hello Everyone,
Welcome to the Kickoff of The Ginnie West Collection (Books 1, 2, and 3) of the Ginnie West Adventures series. This omnibus edition includes The Secret Sisters Club, Trouble Blows West and Simply West of Heaven.
The series starts with The Secret Sisters Club and introduces the reader to 12-year-old best friends, Ginnie West and Tillie Taylor. Ginnie’s mother died when she was 3 ½ in a tragic accident and Tillie’s birth dad hit the road 6 years before the series starts.
Tillie, especially, wants a “whole” family again and who would make a better sister than her BFF? When she suggests to Ginnie that their parents would also benefit by marrying, their scheme, Operation: Secret Sisters is formed.
Things get more complicated when Ginnie discovers a box of her dead mom’s journals and reads one, getting to know the mother she doesn’t remember and her dad doesn’t talk about. Discovering the journals brings up questions and feelings that Ginnie didn’t expect and she struggles to reconcile her desire to know her real mom and while caring about her “new” mom.
Trouble Blows West takes a complete turn from Book 1 when the biggest bully in 6th grade goes after Ginnie’s twin brother, Toran, and results in Ginnie knocking the bully, Pierce, on his rear in front of the whole student body in the cafeteria on page 2. Things get more complicated when the reader realizes that Pierce is being abused at home. Ginnie doesn’t find out right away—but when she does, Ginnie, Toran, and Tillie decide to become Pierce’s allies—because he won’t let them be his friends. Trouble Blows West is a story of kids on the opposite sides of many issues who try to come to some peaceful understandings.
Because of her great influence in my life, I made my high school creative writing teacher, Mrs. Marion Joyce Johnson, a character in this book years ago. A fun happenstance has recently occurred. Mrs. Johnson’s real life son is Col. Greg Johnson, pilot and astronaut for the Space Shuttle Endeavor. I reached out to Greg who read: Trouble Blows West and fell in love with Ginnie and her family. He has graciously written a Foreword for the book.
Simply West of Heaven starts three weeks after The Secret Sisters Club ends. The one thread that wasn’t reconciled in Book 1 is resolved in this book—and the thread opens up a whole lot of possibilities of fun and new adventures for Ginnie, Tillie, and the Wests. This book has my four best twists and guarantees the reader lots of surprises as the story unfolds. Hopefully readers will want to continue to read about Ginnie and Tillie in Book 4: Being West is Best.
The Ginnie West Adventures series truly is a labor of love for me. I enjoy sharing the West family and their stories with new and longtime readers. I especially love it when readers share with me their experiences of finding courage and peace to overcome their own trials and share those stories with me. I hope to empower and uplift my readers and love it when they connect with me.
Laugh lots … love much … write on!
Monique Bucheger
Blog Stops
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, December 16
Locks, Hooks and Books, December 16
Debbie’s Dusty Deliberations, December 17
Sara Jane Jacobs, December 18
deb’s Book Review, December 19
Blogging With Carol, December 19
Inklings and notions, December 20
For Him and My Family, December 21
Because I said so — and other adventures in Parenting, December 22
Mary Hake, December 22
Texas Book-aholic, December 23
Sodbusterliving, December 24
Happily Managing a Household of Boys, December 25
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, December 26
She Lives To Read, December 27
Artistic Nobody, December 28 (Guest Review from Joni Truex)
Ashley’s Bookshelf, December 29
Splashes of Joy, December 29
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Monique is giving away the grand prize of a $75 Kobo, Barnes and Noble, Amazon, Apple, or Google Play!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
https://promosimple.com/ps/104ff/the-ginnie-west-collection-celebration-tour-giveaway
My Review
The Secret Sisters Club is the first installment from Monique Bucheger’s Ginnie West Adventures series. I thought this was a great beginning to the series. I enjoyed Ginnie and Tillie’s story. Those two were joy to meet. I was entertained with their adventures. The girls are ones that can be relatable for many younger readers. I feel that they are easy to have a connection with. I thought they were good role models and teach some very valuable lessons that so many – young and old – could learn or be reminded of.
The Secret Sisters Club is getting five plus stars from me. I can not wait to get my hands on the next installment from the Ginnie West Adventures series, Trouble Blows West. I look forward to finding out what happens next with Ginnie. I recommend this one for young readers who are in the age range of preteens to early teens.
I have had the pleasure of reading and enjoying the start of the Ginnie West Adventures series by Monique Bucheger, The Secret Sisters Club. So, I had no problem at jumping at the opportunity to reading book two, Trouble Blows West. I was not disappointed. I loved catching up with young Ginnie. She is such an inspiration and a good role model for young readers, including my daughter. I liked the lessons taught within the pages. So many, young and old, could learn from.
I am giving Trouble Blows West a very well deserved five plus stars. I am looking forward to the third addition from the Ginnie West Adventures series, Simply West of Heaven, to find out what happens next. I highly recommend this book and series for pre to early teens.
Monique Bucheger has done it again with her third installment from the Ginnie West Adventures series, Simply West of Heaven. This one is probably my favorite of the series to date. Even though it is part of a series, I believe it can be read as a stand alone. It was great catching up with Ginnie once again. I just adored her and enjoyed taking adventures with her. It is such great fun and entertainment.
Simply West of Heaven is getting a very well deserved five plus stars from me. I would give it one hundred stars if I could. I highly recommend it for pre teen, as well as, young teen girls. I believe it is a very good role model that teaches some very important life lessons. I loved it.
I received The Ginnie West Adventure from the publisher. This review is one hundred percent my own honest opinion.
I liked the review, thank you.
ReplyDeleteAmy--thank you so very much for the lovely reviews--I am so glad you are willing to go on Ginnie and Tillie's journey with them. :) This made my day. You'll be happy to know that the adventures will continue through Books 5 & 6 at least--and probably a couple after that. :) I'm working on Book 5 at the moment and am outlining Book 6 because Ginnie and Tillie have a few more adventures to go on. Thanks for hosting The Ginnie West Collection. :)
ReplyDeleteThey sound like interesting books. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteWonderful review! Sounds like a great series. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a very good series for girls. Thanks for sharing
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great series. These would be perfect for my niece.
ReplyDelete