MMGM: One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath

Title: One Year in Coal Harbor
Author: Polly Horvath
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade (September 11, 2012)

Source: Received from publisher via NetGalley

Summary from Goodreads:
Readers rejoice--Primrose Squarp is back! The wise and curious heroine of the Newbery Honor Book Everything on a Waffle is facing another adventure-filled year in Coal Harbor. Even though her parents, once lost at sea, are home, there's a whole slew of problems and mysteries to keep Primrose--and eager fans--busy. There's Uncle Jack and Kate Bowzer, who may (or may not) be in love. There's Ked, a foster child who becomes Primrose's friend. And there's the new development on the outskirts of town that threatens the Coal Harbor Primrose knows and treasures. Prolific and brilliant Horvath has delivered a masterful sequel to a beloved novel, sure to please old fans and gain new ones.(

Review:
I adored Everything on a Waffle (it was my very first MMGM post!) and was ecstatic to find out there is now a sequel for my beloved book. I didn't think it needed a sequel, just like how I felt with Princess Academy: Palace of Stone, but I was pleasantly surprised with that sequel, so I thought this would be another great addition to Primrose's story. However, I'm sorry to say that I was very disappointed.

SPOILER ALERT for those who haven't read Everything on a Waffle!!! It was nice to revisit all the characters again and get to see Primrose actually interact with her parents. However, everything else just seemed all mashed up together in a gobbly-gook mess. I guess I didn't really need to see what happened to Primrose after her parents returned. I thought everything would be happier, but it just seems like the mundane just continued on.

I was also upset that the little love story at the end of Everything on a Waffle just kind of fizzled between Uncle Jack and Miss Bowzer. Why are they such jerks to each other in this book? Seriously, Uncle Jack, you're going to build a "high-class restaurant" across the street with her restaurant because she doesn't serve high-class clientele?! SERIOUSLY?!

Which leads me to my final point, I just didn't like the characters this time around. It was a little too late for me when Ked finally enters the story. Maybe I went in with too high expectations because I LOVED Everything on a Waffle, but I think this story didn't meet the hype for me.

Rating:

3 out of 5 stars

About the Author: Polly Horvath

Polly Horvath grew up in Kalamazoo, Michigan. She went to college at the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto, studying with the Royal Academy of Dance and later becoming an R.A.D. teacher.
After graduation, she lived in New York City and Montreal before settling  in Metchosin, British Columbia, with her husband, Arnie Keller, and their two daughters, Emily and Rebecca. They have a dog, Andrew, and a horse, Zayda. They live on a hilltop with an assortment of deer, rabbits, two ducks who visit their pond daily—and the occasional cougar and bear.

Polly Horvath has written many books for children that have won awards in both the United States and Canada including a Newbery Honor, National Book Award and The Vicky Metcalf award for her body of work. Her books have been picks of both Rosie O'Donnell and Oprah amd have been translated into over twenty five languages.

Did we mention an occasional bear?

Author's website: http://www.pollyhorvath.com

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