Restoring Harmony

Wow! What a fantastic debut! Joelle Anthony's Restoring Harmony was a riveting and eye opening read. The society she created was, unfortunately, believable and made me wonder- is this what our future has in store for us? A lack of oil is real possibility, so I read into the story even more, trying to figure out what my life would be like in Anthony's 2041. It's scary when you think of it, but Molly's family was full of hope and initiative. They were a lot better off on their island in Canada then the struggling and over-controlled Americans. This brings me to one of the highlights if the novel- the characters. There were A LOT of characters, but Anthony made it work. They were all unique and well developed. Molly, the main character, was smart, thoughtful, creative, and knew how to think ahead. She had a very take charge attitude that probably saved not only her life, but quite a few others. She added a lot to the novel, and she was someone I would like to know in real life. The whole cast of characters was fantastic, there wasn't one character that didn't need to be there and didn't add something to the story. Molly's family- her parents and siblings were great even though they didn't play a big role. When Molly left her home in Canada to bring her grandparents back from America, it was an exhilarating, dangerous, and emotional journey. I was on the edge of my seat in quite a few instances and was always anxious to find out what was going to happen next. The mystery involving the Boss and the Organization was original and unpredicted, and I really liked how everything played out. Molly's journey never really ended even once she arrived at her grandparents house. Upon her arrival, Molly really had to take action by helping not only her grandparents, but their neighbors, too. I want to learn how to play the fiddle now!! Molly's prize possession, Jewels, was a great addition to the novel. I loved all the songs she played and how, at times, the fiddle really ended up saving their lives. The fiddle was not the only thing that ended up saving Molly and her family- Spill did, too. I Restoring Harmony was sweet and Spill was a great guy for Molly. He was a unique character and their relationship was definitely different than most YA romances I've read lately. In the end, Joelle Anthony crafted a poignant and extremely enjoyable novel in Restoring Harmony. I loved all the characters and the plot was extremely well orchestrated. I can't wait to read her next book! Overall: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Not to make light of it all, but this is what I envision as most likely to happen. And the heroine was someone who made it believable. Being more of a country girl than anything else, I can see people getting on with life - even without all the "goodies" that make the struggle bearable. Family, hardwork, and love - those are the things that should make the world go'round. An enjoyable story, easy and fast to read, and a happy ending. That's what I'm talking about!

My Thoughts: I can not stress enough how I can't seem to get the words out. I will say what I feel in 5 words. This book was freaking awesome. We are introduced to Molly who is going to Oregon to get her grandparents and bring them back with her. Her mom is pregnant, her sister is engaged, so she is in a time crunch and needs to get back as soon as possible. She starts the journey and encounters many setbacks but she never lets that influence her. She has to get them now before its too late! Times are tough, as the Collapse has just effected the world. I could definitely see this situation happening if this really happened today. I believe that rich people would even have the uppercase here. Like the book says, The House Always Win. As soon as I read that, I instantly knew what it mean (you will too soon if you read the book). Molly plays the fiddle a long the way. She loves her fiddle. She would never give it up. Molly encounters a lot of new and original people on the way to Oregon. She meets a mysterious stranger along the way, we learn to call him Spill. He gets her out of a bind. From the minute Molly layed eyes on him, I could feel a connection between them (and myself too of course, he's a hottie). Molly eventually gets to her grandparents and is faced with a whole new set of problems, because she is broke, they are stubborn, the neighbors need help. She runs into the mysterious stranger again in town. Who is this guy really? Is he good or bad? Is he who he says he is? Can Molly really drag around her fiddle or does she lose it a long the way (she loved that thing). What happens to Molly? Does she come up with the money to get back to Canada? Does she actually make it back home or is she destined to spend the rest of her life in Oregon? Does the baby arrive without any problems? Is her Mother ok? Whatever happened to Spill? You'll have to read the book to find out! Overall: I loved this book. I truly loved it. I loved the scenes, I loved the way it was written, I loved Molly and Spill. I loved her whole family! From the first 5 pages in, you are drawn in! I finished this in two days, only taking breaks to eat, shower, and sleep. I think my favorite part was the end with the fiddle scene. Yes, Yes, I had tears in my eyes alright! It was the sweetest thing ever. Joelle sure did it right with this one and I can't wait to read more from her! If your going to buy one book this year, let this be that book!!!!!

When the world economy collapsed in 2031, people's well-being plummeted around the world as governments became paralyzed and stopped providing public services, organized crime ruled the markets, people deserted city centers for the suburbs, and food and fuel sources became increasingly scarce. Despite the difficult conditions everywhere, Molly McClure and her family had learned to support themselves over the years with subsistence farming and bartering with other residents of the small Canadian island where they lived. Molly's life turned upside down when her parents sent her on what became a rather frightening trip to the United States to find her grandparents and bring them to Canada. She encountered one obstacle after the next, including painful hikes in her bare feet, hunger, no money for return tickets, dangerous members of the local crime organization, and the closing of the Canadian border following a polio outbreak. Would her beloved violin, a mysterious young man, and her inherent courage be enough to help overcome these problems and make it back home with her grandparents? Restoring Harmony provides a richly satisfying blend of action, danger, romance, and family relations. Thoroughly intertwined in the fast-moving plot is a mystopian environment of economic chaos as people fend for themselves in their attempts to survive. In Molly McClure, the author has crafted a resourceful and clever heroine whose exploits will engage a wide readership.

Restoring Harmony is set 30 years in the future and yet it has an old world charm. Much of this charm comes in the character of Molly. She is a smart, sweet, independent and resourceful heroine, who finds her way through the obstacles in her path and always does her best to help others. Although the future Anthony paints is bleak, Molly, her family, and their small island community provide a sense of hope that a new life can be created if this future should ever become real. I love Molly and I love the other characters that populate the novel. Her grumpy cynical grandfather, the funny and sweet children next door and Spill, the stranger who Molly isn't sure if she can trust but is drawn to anyway. Although the story whips along, with many twists and turns, it is the characters who make it really shine. Restoring Harmony is a delightful read, one which will make you want to learn the fiddle, go on a road trip and hug your family. It definitely has a star spot on my bookcase.