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The Flying Papers

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Julia Santi’s carefully constructed life in New York City is torpedoed when her ten-year-old niece, Rumi, comes to live with her. Rumi is from rural Mississippi and her only living parent, her father, is missing.

No more fashion boutique on Madison Avenue for Julia. No more carefree evenings with friends, or dates that might culminate in happily ever after. Instead, she trades that life to become a stay-at-home pseudo-parent to a child she has met only once before.

Rumi’s entry into city life is a dismal failure when she is kicked out of an elite private school on her first day there. Julia is horrified that the Santi name is sullied. Rumi does not see what the fuss is about.

Because Rumi always sees the glass as half full.

Even when her father is accused of human trafficking. Even when he is presumed to be either dead or hiding from the law. Even when the aunt who was supposed to love and protect her blames her for ruining her life.

Then again, Rumi knows something nobody else does.

There is a plan. Her father is coming for her.

And they will be together soon.

Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2023

About the author

Ginna Leatherbury

4 books1 follower

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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
Profile Image for Aparna Preethi.
Author 1 book56 followers
March 20, 2023
"The Flying Papers" by Ginna Leatherbury is a charming and heart-warming coming-of-age story that follows the protagonist, Lorna, as she navigates the ups and downs of adolescence in a small town in 1950s America. Leatherbury's writing style is evocative and vivid, transporting readers to a bygone era and immersing them in Lorna's world. The characters are well-drawn and relatable, with Lorna herself standing out as a sympathetic and relatable protagonist. The book's exploration of themes such as family, friendship, and first love is poignant and insightful, capturing the complexities of adolescence in a way that will resonate with readers of all ages. "The Flying Papers" is a delightful and engaging read that will appeal to fans of coming-of-age stories. Leatherbury's storytelling is captivating, and her characters are so well-drawn that readers will find themselves fully invested in their lives and relationships.
Profile Image for Guy Wheatley.
Author 8 books19 followers
March 25, 2023
Rumi is such an engaging character that it’s impossible not to fall in love with her. When her farther disappears and is presumed dead a few years after her mother’s death, she moves from Mississippi to New York City to live with her aunt.
If there is any flaw in the book, it’s that she is far more mature than a 10-year-old should be. But then, that’s really the point of the story.
There are a couple of surprising twists toward the end that I didn’t see coming.
I’ve seen reviews where it is described as a “Coming of Age,” story, but I’m not sure I’d agree. Rumi doesn’t really change very much. She changes those around her. She gives her aunt and grandfather a different perspective. She helps them come to terms with her mother, their sister and daughter, having left them for love. And they are finally able to forgive themselves for ostracizing her.
The narrative is consistently Third Party Omnipotent. After reading so many books recently with switch-off perspectives, I found this refreshing
Profile Image for CarlitasFox.
1,475 reviews28 followers
March 24, 2023
An absorbing novel
I started reading “The Flying Papers” which was so engaging that I was glued to the pages until the end. Ginna Leatherbury has written this tender story between an aunt and her niece.
Julia Santi, a brave and working woman whose life gets upside down the moment Rumi, her niece, decides to live with her. During Rumi´s stay, unexpected events happen but also close bonds are established between them.
This is an exquisite family story that deals with themes of naughtiness, loss, fear, secrecy but also love, encounter, and companionship. The characters are well-portrayed and very dynamic as well as the denouement. There are several turns and twists that will leave you thinking about the plot. I loved it. Without a doubt, it's a must read!


Profile Image for Susan B.
495 reviews10 followers
March 25, 2023
Set in the 1950s in America, the Flying Papers by Leatherbury digs into the life of an adolescent and her life’s endeavors while living in a small town.
The author has done an amazing job portraying the life of an era which if not painted correctly, it can turn the storyline into a dull sequence of events that happened in the past.
Wonderfully evocative, this read is shrouded in the atmosphere and lets the writing transport you back in time with its descriptive narrative and poetic style. The author gives the reader a terrific sense of place and feels for the period, she paints a picture in which she magically brings the location to life on the page, offering the reader a glimpse of the 50s, recreating the times in such vivid colorful detail, that you can feel yourself there.
Profile Image for Aneley Sánchez.
988 reviews24 followers
March 23, 2023
A big drama.

The Flying Papers written by Ginna Leatherbury is about a great family drama. Julia Santi has a perfectly and carefully constructed life in New York, but it is turned upside down when her ten-year-old niece, Rumi, comes to live with her because her only living parent, her father, is missing.
I really like dramas but I haven't read one for a long time and this book was a great choice to get closer to this genre again. It is very interesting the development and growth of each character throughout the plot. I think the author has a special ability to describe the feelings of the characters because it was inevitable for me to empathize with them. I liked it!
Profile Image for Dani Savante.
804 reviews24 followers
March 24, 2023
This is a great, very entertaining and engaging novel. The story of these two protagonists becomes interesting when without even thinking about it their paths cross. It is at that moment that the calm and relaxed life of Julia Santi turns upside down and she finds herself taking care of her distant cousin Rumi, who she doesn't even know.
The experiences are horrible from the beginning; they are definitely not compatible and soon it seems that the worst has happened.
I really liked this novel; it has valuable content and a good development of the story. The characters are very well defined as well as each scene. I recommend it for lovers of good stories and drama.
Profile Image for Liz.
1,392 reviews32 followers
March 24, 2023
"The Flying Papers" is a fictional family drama written by Ginna Leatherbury. Julia Santi is an independent woman living in New York, but her life is turned upside down when her 10-year-old niece, Rumi, moves in with her. Rumi's father has disappeared, and now she is in the care of her aunt. Will Rumi's father appear?
From the cover, the book is inviting. I enjoyed it a lot since it seemed modern, original and fresh. The characters are adorable and intriguing at the same time. The scenes are very well described and extremely detailed. I certainly look forward to reading more fiction by this author. I truly recommend it.
Profile Image for Juan.
425 reviews5 followers
March 25, 2023
“The Flying Papers” is a wonderful and brilliant book that offers the reader a deep look to different aspects of everyday life; what it means to take care of an adolescent, the ups and downs of this particular age, the family ties and the first love in a girl’s life.
The book is so fast paced that starting to read it commits to holding breath through to the end.
Julia Santi’s routine is carefully organized; however, things changed abruptly. Will she be able to care for someone who needs her undivided attention?
Fascinating characters make this novel a total must read! In my particular case, it totally grabbed me.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews

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