by Ann Cameron

I bought this book for a cheap price at National Bookstore, just planning to list it at Bookmooch but somehow at a later time I got myself to open and read it.

It's about a girl named Tzunún, who was nicknamed Colibrí by her mother. The story begins when at a young age of four she was kidnapped from her parents in Guatemala. Since then she has been with Uncle, an ex-soldier and a vagabond beggar who claimed to adopt her and then changed her name to Rosa. Uncle was determined to keep Rosa in his custody with the belief that she will bring him big fortune as predicted by the fortuneteller from one of the towns they settled in.

Rosa, who later realized that Uncle is doing bad things (lies, thefts, connivance with a criminal) and is using her to make up his living tried to escape him and sought help from the fortuneteller; she even asked to adopt her to keep her safe from Uncle. Her adventure and experience as a child will move you in ways, each page leading to the truth about her real life.

Rating: 3 stars - I recommend this book to everyone especially for teens aged 10-12 - there are lessons to be told, and values to be picked up. The flow of the story is quite fast-paced and then slow-mo at times. The ending's a bit cliché yet it will manage to get to your understanding how everything comes in full circle.

by Caroline B. Cooney

I liked the story, it fascinated me. Although the ending was a bit short, probably because it leads to the companion book. Anyway, the story seemed to focus on the whirl of Janie's doubts if she was really kidnapped. I enjoyed reading it but I think the author should have condensed the whole story into one book instead of indicating that the others are just companions. Some people can't tell immediately what number from the series is the book they're reading.

To be able to grasp the whole idea, I suggest readers take on the companions to this book such as Whatever Happened to Janie? and The Voice on the Radio.

Rating: 3 stars