Pre-numbered label used for registration.

Hardback

From Publishers Weekly
Stewart peers into the complicated heart of friendship in a moving second novel (after 2000's Body of a Girl). Ever since a cataclysmic falling out with her best friend, Sonia, after college, Cameron's closest companion has been Oliver, the 92-year-old historian she lives with and cares for in Oxford, Miss. Oliver's death leaves Cameron alone and adrift, until she discovers that he has given her one last task: she must track down her estranged best friend (whose letter announcing her engagement Cameron had so recently ignored) and deliver a mysterious present to her. Cameron's journey leads her back to the people, places and memories of their shared past, when they called themselves "Cameronia" and swore to be friends forever. It was a relationship more powerful than romantic love—yet romantic love (or sex, anyway) could still wreck it. Stewart lures the reader forward with two unanswered questions: What was the disaster that ended their friendship, and what will be revealed when Cameron and Sonia are together again and Oliver's package is finally opened? The book is heartfelt and its characters believable jigsaw puzzles of insecurities, talents and secrets, and if Cameron's carefully guarded anger makes her occasionally disagreeable, readers will nevertheless welcome her happy ending.

From School Library Journal
Adult/High School–Cameron Wilson, 14, is an overly tall army brat and a new kid in town. She begins an intense friendship with classmate Sonia Gray after the two meet while literally saving one another from disastrous situations. The friendship blows up in college, and Cameron struggles through a small, uninspired life until, at age 29, she ends up as caregiver to elderly Oliver Douchet, a famed historian. Then a letter arrives from Sonia telling of her upcoming marriage and wondering why the two of them had gone their separate ways when they had shared so much. Cameron chooses to do nothing until Oliver dies and leaves a package for her to deliver personally to Sonia. So begins Camerons journey to find and understand her lost friend and, ultimately, herself. The novel unfolds at an unhurried, graceful pace, moving through flashbacks and memories, but the interest in what Oliver could have sent to Sonia sharpens the edge and drives the plot. Teens will appreciate the high-school beginning of this relationship and Stewarts notion that friendship can define a life. A poignant and bittersweet story of love.

It was a quick read. I would have changed some things in the book. Since it is a new book and so many people had it on their wishlist, I decided to make it a bookray.

Guidelines:
1. journal the book when you receive it
2. PM the next person on the list
3. read the book within a month
4. journal after you read the book
5. mail to the next person
7. The last person gets to do what she wants with the book - keep it, make a new ray, ray it forward, RABCK, release.


Bookray:
1. laevina (Colorada) -- DONE
2. classicfox (Ohio) --- DONE
3. stacers1973 (Oregon)--DONE
4. bananabrianna (Canada)--DONE
5. purple4 (North Carolina)-DONE

Interesting to see different people's point of view. There was an unexpected twist at the end of the book. Hope others enjoy this book, too.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

bookray starting with laevina

Can't wait to start reading it!

Great touching book about two girls friendship - I now have to get a copy to put permanently on my shelf. Off to classicfox next.

Arrived safe and tightly wrapped today--thanks for letting me in, booklady and thanks for mailing, laevina! Will start reading today.

A fast, easy flowing read which I liked quite a bit. Couldn't wait to see what was in that package, lol! I actually liked the ending which I can't say about too many books I read. Off to stacers early this coming week. Thanks for including me booklady!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed today to stacers1973. Hope you like it.

Hum to the tune My Favorite Things:

Bombarded by bookrings and bright shiny stickers
Kindly delivered surprises and fireplace flickers
Judge a book by it’s cover tied up with stings
These are a few of my favorite things

Dream colored stories and crisp nifty pages
Packages, sleigh bells and crinkly klages
Peppermint candies in place of gold rings
These are a few of my favorite things

Authors with laptops and clickety clackes
Mounds of “to be read” piled up in tall stackes
Secret discoveries and Eartha Kitt sings
These are a few of my favorite things

When the book opens
When the mail comes
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad

Thanks booklady331 for starting the ray and classicfox to passing it on to me... I guess this book arrival just put me in a festive mood :)

Stacers1973, your JE put a smile on my face, a lift of my heart, and a jump in my old legs. Thanks for being so creative. You made my evening.

I really, really enjoyed this book! I was worried the girls would come off as *meh* but they were wonderfully characterized with grace and flaws. I love how all things tied together and how the ending did not feel contrived.
A really lovely story of not only the bonds that friendship can survive, but love, betrayal, forgiveness and even redemption. :)
Thanks so much for including me on the ray!
Pm'ed bananabrianna this am (I read the book much faster than anticipated) and can ship it out on Friday.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to bananabrianna this morning! Enjoy :)

Received in the mail today! This book is next on my list! Thanks so much!

Finished! I liked this book, I saw a lot of myself in the main character, both physically and emotionally. I did start to get frustrated with the wild goose chase and thought it could have been slimmed down a bit but the twist at the end was very susprising and all in all a very good read!

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Mailed to purple4. Enjoy!! :)

Just received the book, going to read after my current read.

Shows how friendship can fall apart easily, but it is hard to bring it back.
I will try to continue the ray.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I am continuing the bookray.

here is the order
1. Skizeye9 DONE
2. Spaceystacey DONE
3. Kerbam1421 DONE
4. sarkiegirl DONE
5. Bug2004 HERE
6. Ginnyrazo
7. Valpete

Received the book Tuesday I think it was. Just finished the book I was reading last night, so I'll be ready to dive in today or tomorrow! Will go ahead and PM Spaceystacey for her address now.

LOVED THIS BOOK!!!

I stayed up late Monday night to finish this one--and bawled my eyes out, ha!

I'm considering buying six more copies of this book to give to my girls for our girls' weekend that we celebrate every year over Memorial weekend on one of the beaches near Charleston, SC (this year it's Folly Beach).

I felt like these characters were really well drawn and easy to relate to.

I also liked how the plot didn't seem contrived, just made up of real everyday things that could happen in anyone's life--and yet you still didn't know what was going to happen.

I just loved this book overall. It's up there among my faves now.

The picture of friendships and love and our own flaws that get in the way are unbeatable.

Will mail this off Friday when I get paid! :)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

In the mail!

Received in the post recently and will be reading during the month of May. Thank you so much for sharing this read.


05/13/2009 will be finishing this one this evening and getting it on its way to the next reader on the list.

Received on Saturday and will be starting tonight. Thank you spaceystacey for sending my way and thank you to purple4 for organizing! :)

I enjoyed this read - it was quick and easy. I was so curious to find out why Sonia and Cameron weren't friends anymore and what was in Oliver's package - but I have to admit that Cameron started to get on my neves a little bit.

I have sarkiegirl's address and will be sending this her way tomorrow. :)

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

Off to Cali today - Enjoy!

DC #: 420922539102150134711702577056

Thanks for including me! :)

got it today! I'm finishing one, and I will start it right away! ;)

I loved it. I couldn't put it down, and when I had to put it down, I wanted to go back to it. It reminded me a lot of a friend and I, and our friedship, and it brought up some painful feelings. I love the way that this author writes, how she describes the loneliness of Cameron, the hurt of losing friendships.

I didn't even want to read this book at first, but I decided to give it a try. I'm glad I did. Thank you booklady, for opening me up to such a great book.

CONTROLLED RELEASE NOTES:

I sent it off to the next bookcrosser this afternoon! I hope that she enjoys it as much as I did!

Re'cvd today, along w/ 2 other rings/rays...will get to it as quick as I can. Thanks for sharing! :)

Truly enjoyed this book. I could relate to Cameron on some things, so she made for an enjoyable character for me. I loved her relationship w/ Oliver...what a simple, cozy little life they had. :)

Oh, the drama of female friendships. :)

So, great...easy to read yet not lacking in the storyline! :) Thanks for sharing!! Sorry for keeping it so long!

It will be off in the next couple of days!

Just received today. Can't wait to read.