Monday, June 4, 2012

Yesterday's Stardust by Becky MelBy

4 STARS
I admit to listening to the book on my kindle and sometimes I got lost for a few seconds as it switched back and forth from the 1920's to 2012. If I was reading I would not got lost as often.
One thing I loved was the questions they ask you at the end makes me think of the story a little different way.
Dani is a reporter for a newspaper and gets involved in her stories. While they are discussing story ideas she gets a phone call from a teenager she interviewed a few months ago China. China is mad that Dani told her to leave her abusive boyfriend and she did. Now her boyfriend shot himself because she left. China blames Dani.
Dani goes back to where the shooting happens and realized China was taken in for questioning by the police. After the cops left the apartment Dani went in and then realized it would not look good if she is caught their. She is worried about China.
She decides after dinner at the Italian restraunt across from China's apartment to stake out the apartment from her car.  Dani finds a journal from the 1920's
The story goes from the 1920's to now and how the people are going through some of the same problems.
Nicky is a chef at his family restraunt that has been in his family for  generations. He is also the manager.  He calls the police because he thinks someone is drunk or dead parked in front of his restraunt in a stolen car owned by Vito.  Dani had fallen asleep in the car that she borrowed while hers was getting fixed. The policeman is Todd Nicky's cousin.  After they called Vito and he confirmed that he loaned Dani his car they let her go.
Vito and his wife had Dani over for dinner and set her up with Todd but also was Nicky and his sister Rena was their.
Francie was raised on a farm in the 1920's. She spied on her father and his business of selling moonshine.  She wanted to go to Chicago and help her sister with raising her nephew. Her parents were keeping it a secret that her sister Suzette wanted her help. Francie saw two of her dad customers in his barn while he was gone and decided to help them with buying the moonshine and when she over heard them saying they were going to Chicago she asked if she could go with them. They said yes if your ready to go in 15 minutes.
Francie age 15 went with them and found out they were crooks and was almost killed. She had to do what they said or else they could kill her or her family especially her nephew. Also was given lots of stuff so she could play certain roles they wanted her to play. Francie could not figure a way out of the mess without having to leave her nephew and sister their.
back in the present Dani is looking to help China. She knows about the gang she is in. She also finds out that Rena is in a gang and feels trapped in it.
Nicky has no idea his sister is in the gang. Dani shares the journal with him but they only read in order no skipping ahead. Nicky wants to date her. Todd wants to take Dani on a ridealong and show her the neighborhood. Dani and Evan her cameraman go undercover. They are both Christians and Dani decides she wants to help the kids more. She does not let anyone but Rena know she is moving into the now available apartment across from the restraunt.
The two stories come together really good and you get drawn in Francine story and want to know what happened to her did she ever get out from the mob?
Can Dani help Rena, China and some of the other teens or are they stuck in the gang for life.
I really enjoyed reading Yesterday's Stardust and look forward to reading more books from Becky. I was given this ebook to read in exchange of honest review from Netgalley.
06/01/2012 PUB Barbour Publishing Inc.

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