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Beautiful Goodbye
The discovery of an old Ouija board sends three kids back in time to wartime 1915 to help a spirit find peace.
Maggie’s life has been anything but easy lately. So when her best friend Gillian discovers a Ouija board in the attic, it’s a welcome relief. While they’d rather be at the mall than babysitting Maggie’s brother Cole, the girls figure it will be a fun way to spend a Saturday – asking questions about boys and other teenage dilemmas. After all, it’s just a game. Or is it?
Thinking nothing could possibly go wrong, the kids dive in, eager to test the new game, but discover the board will change their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined. The trio ends up with more than they bargained for and are thrust into a whirlwind journey. One from which they might never return, if they aren’t careful.
Maggie’s life has been anything but easy lately. So when her best friend Gillian discovers a Ouija board in the attic, it’s a welcome relief. While they’d rather be at the mall than babysitting Maggie’s brother Cole, the girls figure it will be a fun way to spend a Saturday – asking questions about boys and other teenage dilemmas. After all, it’s just a game. Or is it?
Thinking nothing could possibly go wrong, the kids dive in, eager to test the new game, but discover the board will change their lives in ways they couldn’t have imagined. The trio ends up with more than they bargained for and are thrust into a whirlwind journey. One from which they might never return, if they aren’t careful.
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2012
7 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Runstedler
2 books26 followersNancy Runstedler grew up in Wellesley, Ontario. She has worked in both public and school libraries. Although her home library is overflowing with books, she intends to keep collecting. She lives in southern Ontario.
Her first tween/teen novel, Beautiful Goodbye (Dundurn Publishers),arrived July 2013. Her first nonfiction work, Pay It Forward Kids:Small Acts, Big Change (Fitzhenry & Whiteside),followed in October 2013. Thirteen is now her favourite number as this year began her publishing journey.
Her first tween/teen novel, Beautiful Goodbye (Dundurn Publishers),arrived July 2013. Her first nonfiction work, Pay It Forward Kids:Small Acts, Big Change (Fitzhenry & Whiteside),followed in October 2013. Thirteen is now her favourite number as this year began her publishing journey.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 15, 2013
Beautiful Goodbye is a wonderful story for younger readers on up! Maggie, a young teen, hasn't dealt well with the death of her father and the upheaval in her life, including having to move to a more affordable home. While exploring the attic of the old house, Maggie, her younger brother Cole and her best friend, quirky Gillian find an old Ouiji board. What do you do with a Ouiji board? You try it, of course! The three kids talk to the spirit of a woman named Hope, who had once lived in the house and she needs help, sending the kids on an adventure through time, back to the early twentieth century during World War I! The children witness history as it happens, the good and the bad, all while befriending a young Hope, who has just lost her father, a soldier fighting overseas.
They each bring back something from their amazing journey and Maggie learns to deal with her grief and appreciate what she still has. Even Gillian brings something back, and true to her goofy ways, its completely laughable!
The characters are all totally loveable, the story is fast moving and fun for kids, full of imagination and cleverly written with a touch of warmth and love! Death and dealing with loss are a part of the story, but is done in a such positive way that is easy for younger readers to grasp without fearing it. Highly recommended!
An ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: July 27, 2013
They each bring back something from their amazing journey and Maggie learns to deal with her grief and appreciate what she still has. Even Gillian brings something back, and true to her goofy ways, its completely laughable!
The characters are all totally loveable, the story is fast moving and fun for kids, full of imagination and cleverly written with a touch of warmth and love! Death and dealing with loss are a part of the story, but is done in a such positive way that is easy for younger readers to grasp without fearing it. Highly recommended!
An ARC edition was provided by NetGalley and Dundurn in exchange for my honest review. Publication Date: July 27, 2013
May 10, 2013
I found Beautiful Goodbye a sentimental and exquisitely written story about young people dealing with death. Although I enjoyed reading the book, it is probably aimed at a middle grade or younger adult audience,
Maggie and Cole have lost their father suddenly and as a result have had to move house, across town from Maggie's best friend, Gillian. The house has history, and Maggie feels a spiritual presence, just before she finds an Ouija board which Maggie and Gillian decide to try out. The board leads them to the house's ghost, Hope, who transports the Maggie, Gillian and Cole back to 1915 to help her to find peace.
I enjoyed the way in which Nancy Runstedler links the history of the First World War with the children's story, as it adds an extra dimension of drama and in the case of Hope and Franz, romance.
Whilst in 1915 Hope loses her father as a casualty of the war, and Maggie finds she can comfort her, using her own experiences. Their friendship becomes important to them both, and at the ned of the novel there is a very touching and unexpected scene which is testimony to this.
As the children are attempting to contact Hope through the Ouija board to find out how to help her, Magie and Cole's dad sends a message to them. I think this is the most emotional scene of the book as it is so beautifully but simply written. It allows Maggie and Cole to open up to each other about their feelings and realise that they are not alone in their grief and in doing so they are able to try to move on.
Nancy Runstelder shows very clearly how Maggie, Cole and Gillian's experiences in 1915 influence them and help them develop as characters. I hope that readers will share in the emotion and quality of Beautiful Goodbye.
Maggie and Cole have lost their father suddenly and as a result have had to move house, across town from Maggie's best friend, Gillian. The house has history, and Maggie feels a spiritual presence, just before she finds an Ouija board which Maggie and Gillian decide to try out. The board leads them to the house's ghost, Hope, who transports the Maggie, Gillian and Cole back to 1915 to help her to find peace.
I enjoyed the way in which Nancy Runstedler links the history of the First World War with the children's story, as it adds an extra dimension of drama and in the case of Hope and Franz, romance.
Whilst in 1915 Hope loses her father as a casualty of the war, and Maggie finds she can comfort her, using her own experiences. Their friendship becomes important to them both, and at the ned of the novel there is a very touching and unexpected scene which is testimony to this.
As the children are attempting to contact Hope through the Ouija board to find out how to help her, Magie and Cole's dad sends a message to them. I think this is the most emotional scene of the book as it is so beautifully but simply written. It allows Maggie and Cole to open up to each other about their feelings and realise that they are not alone in their grief and in doing so they are able to try to move on.
Nancy Runstelder shows very clearly how Maggie, Cole and Gillian's experiences in 1915 influence them and help them develop as characters. I hope that readers will share in the emotion and quality of Beautiful Goodbye.
November 12, 2015
Lately I seem to be reading more Young Adult HF, which is what Beautiful Goodbye is. Written by Canadian author Nancy Runstedler, this was released in 2012 - the publisher very gracious provided me with an arc (via Netgalley) for review. My sincere apologies for not reviewing this little gem sooner.
At first I wasn't sure what to expect but it didn't take long to be immersed in this story. There were times I found it to be a little choppy, some scenes not fully developed as it could have been. But aside from that I found this to be an emotional and addictive read. It's relatively short (152 pages) and I could not put it down. The author made me care for Maggie, Cole and Hope, the things they have gone through and what the future holds. The synopsis doesn't give too many details about the book (which I love) so I won't expound on that. It wasn't an easy road they traveled, especially during the early part of WW I, but it was a journey that each of them had to face. The story itself was intriguing and unique.
At first I wasn't sure what to expect but it didn't take long to be immersed in this story. There were times I found it to be a little choppy, some scenes not fully developed as it could have been. But aside from that I found this to be an emotional and addictive read. It's relatively short (152 pages) and I could not put it down. The author made me care for Maggie, Cole and Hope, the things they have gone through and what the future holds. The synopsis doesn't give too many details about the book (which I love) so I won't expound on that. It wasn't an easy road they traveled, especially during the early part of WW I, but it was a journey that each of them had to face. The story itself was intriguing and unique.
"Maggie's last thoughts before exhaustion claimed her were that her grief felt like an earthquake. The intial blow devastated everything in it's path. You grouped together, trying to recover and move on, even if it meant you'd lost the things most important to you. But when you least expected it, an after shock would hit. It might be days, it might be months or years. Maggie knew whenever those tremors did hit she would not be alone and she would survive them."
March 16, 2013
Ouija Boards, a ghost living in your attic and time travel, oh yes, I was hooked right in. Maggie, her brother Cole and her friend Gillian find a Ouija board and this is the start of an exciting, whirlwind journey that they are thrust into.
This book is aimed at tweens and early teens and is really well done. There is great character development with all 3 discovering about more about themselves through their adventures. They are engaging and fun to be with especially Maggie. And yes I wasn't sure if the Ouija board element would work in a book aimed at such a young audience but while there is lots of action and suspense, its not overly scary or creepy. Not an easily accomplished task so kudos to the author for threading this fine line.
Its a page turner too, every chapter ends on such a dramatic note that you can't stop there! You just have to keep going to see what happens.
"As freaky as it might seem to the others, she was dying to know more. It wasn't like the spirit had been evil. If anything, it was probably just lonely since the house had been empty for a while before they moved in. And Maggie knew loneliness well."
If you are looking for a pressie for a tween or early teen, I'd recommend you go with this one. I think they will thank you for it :)
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn publishers for giving me a copy to read in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
This book is aimed at tweens and early teens and is really well done. There is great character development with all 3 discovering about more about themselves through their adventures. They are engaging and fun to be with especially Maggie. And yes I wasn't sure if the Ouija board element would work in a book aimed at such a young audience but while there is lots of action and suspense, its not overly scary or creepy. Not an easily accomplished task so kudos to the author for threading this fine line.
Its a page turner too, every chapter ends on such a dramatic note that you can't stop there! You just have to keep going to see what happens.
"As freaky as it might seem to the others, she was dying to know more. It wasn't like the spirit had been evil. If anything, it was probably just lonely since the house had been empty for a while before they moved in. And Maggie knew loneliness well."
If you are looking for a pressie for a tween or early teen, I'd recommend you go with this one. I think they will thank you for it :)
Thanks to NetGalley and Dundurn publishers for giving me a copy to read in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
March 9, 2013
** I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review **
Absolutely Brilliant
This is one of those books that I utterly fell in love with! It’s perfect for any tween/young teen reader.
Maggie and her brother have had a really rough year after the unforeseen death of their father. While exploring the attic of their new home they, along with their friend extraordinaire Gillian, have found an Ouija board and decide to have a little fun which causes them to be hurled into an unimaginable expedition.
With careful orchestration Runstedler wrote a fabulous adventure with a side note of history. Entertaining with the likes of time travel (by some pretty original means) it also incorporates some pretty heavy history, such as the internment of individuals with German heritage during WW2 in the US.
The characters are all loveable. Maggie is somewhat motherly and empathetic even though she is still grieving. Gillian is loyal, boy crazy and very supportive of her friends while Cole is good mannered and fun but never with a full stomach. All of them bring their own little pieces of mischief while trying to help their new friend Hope.
This book is broken down into small manageable chapters perfect for bed time reading; however it is hard to put down.
This book is a must read, not only it heart warming but also endearing.
Absolutely Brilliant
This is one of those books that I utterly fell in love with! It’s perfect for any tween/young teen reader.
Maggie and her brother have had a really rough year after the unforeseen death of their father. While exploring the attic of their new home they, along with their friend extraordinaire Gillian, have found an Ouija board and decide to have a little fun which causes them to be hurled into an unimaginable expedition.
With careful orchestration Runstedler wrote a fabulous adventure with a side note of history. Entertaining with the likes of time travel (by some pretty original means) it also incorporates some pretty heavy history, such as the internment of individuals with German heritage during WW2 in the US.
The characters are all loveable. Maggie is somewhat motherly and empathetic even though she is still grieving. Gillian is loyal, boy crazy and very supportive of her friends while Cole is good mannered and fun but never with a full stomach. All of them bring their own little pieces of mischief while trying to help their new friend Hope.
This book is broken down into small manageable chapters perfect for bed time reading; however it is hard to put down.
This book is a must read, not only it heart warming but also endearing.
April 16, 2013
Maggie is having trouble dealing with the death of her father. Her mom has to work so Maggie has to look after her younger brother, Cole. Fortunately, Gillian, her best friend, is able to come over. While exploring the old house they have moved to, they discover a ouija board in the attic. Maggie wants to contact her father but, instead, they are contacted by the ghost of a woman who asks for their help. To do so, however, they must travel almost a century into the past.
Beautiful Goodbye is a time travel tale aimed at middle graders, dealing with such weighty issues as death, grief, and the importance of friendship. I am not sure that words like 'gentle' or 'kind' can apply to a novel but those are the words that best describe this story to me. A perfect story for the young reader of books like A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engels or The Olden Days Coat by Margaret Laurence.
Beautiful Goodbye is a time travel tale aimed at middle graders, dealing with such weighty issues as death, grief, and the importance of friendship. I am not sure that words like 'gentle' or 'kind' can apply to a novel but those are the words that best describe this story to me. A perfect story for the young reader of books like A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engels or The Olden Days Coat by Margaret Laurence.
March 11, 2013
Beautiful Goodbye was okay, but I wasn't impressed. If I'm honest, I don't always fully read the summary of a book, and so I don't completely know what to expect. That's what happened here. At first I thought it was sort of difficult to follow, something seemed off with the writing style. Then the action picked up and I got excited--it seemed like this book was going to be creepy and when I realized it wasn't, I thought it might be exciting. Then, the action came to a standstill and I was lost again. Overall, it wasn't terrible but it felt sort of lackluster and I didn't really understand why it was written or how things fell together.
Thank you to netgalley for an ebook-ARC.
Thank you to netgalley for an ebook-ARC.
April 23, 2013
This is a sweet story for helping middle schoolers deal with the loss of a parent. You will love how Hope and Maggie support one another.
January 12, 2015
This is going to be a pretty short review, because the book was really short as well, being only 150 pages or so (also because I actually don't have much to say about the book). Beautiful Goodbye made a very quick read with practically no character development and a rather superficial, cliched plotline. The beginning of the novel was a bit weird- casually finding a Ouija board and asking it questions. But that level of weirdness was acceptable. As the novel progressed, so did the weirdness- the middle was really, really weird. In fact, the entire novel was just a bundle of strange.
The three characters are sent into the past by the Ouija board, which I was okay with, but then when they arrived in the past, they seemed to adjust a bit too smoothly. Why didn't anyone question, or even pick up, that they speak differently? Surely the language in the 1900s would have been different to the way people speak today. Also, they gave the excuse that their aunt was staying with them in the inn- WHY ISN'T ANYONE QUESTIONING WHERE THE AUNT IS?!
I would recommend this novel only if you want a quick read with not much depth to it.
Full review can be found here
The three characters are sent into the past by the Ouija board, which I was okay with, but then when they arrived in the past, they seemed to adjust a bit too smoothly. Why didn't anyone question, or even pick up, that they speak differently? Surely the language in the 1900s would have been different to the way people speak today. Also, they gave the excuse that their aunt was staying with them in the inn- WHY ISN'T ANYONE QUESTIONING WHERE THE AUNT IS?!
I would recommend this novel only if you want a quick read with not much depth to it.
Full review can be found here
November 6, 2015
This was very sweet! Maggie and her brother Cole have just moved house after the death of their father, and in their attic* Maggie and her friend Gillian find an ouija board. They manage to summon the spirit of the lady who used to live in the house... and then said spirit, well, spirits the three of them back to 1915!
*I always find it so odd in books and movies and TV shows - and, hell, observational documentaries so you know this happens in real life too - that a lot of American houses seem to have piles of stuff left in attics/basements from previous owners! Do they not have to empty the house before they leave, is it seriously normal to leave a creepy haunted trunk or pile of old letters?!
*I always find it so odd in books and movies and TV shows - and, hell, observational documentaries so you know this happens in real life too - that a lot of American houses seem to have piles of stuff left in attics/basements from previous owners! Do they not have to empty the house before they leave, is it seriously normal to leave a creepy haunted trunk or pile of old letters?!
January 21, 2014
This book isn't perfect. It is Runstedler's first fiction title for tweens/teenagers, and it shows -- but it shows in a good way. The pacing could be better in places, but the prose is very readable, and the plot is entertaining. Because of it being listed as a novel that could appeal to teenagers, I was expecting more in the way of character development, but that doesn't really come through in a book of this length, and so relationships between characters felt a bit rushed. It's a quick read, and I would say that is likely to appeal more to elementary/middle school age readers than the teenager end of the spectrum.
Runstedler's writing style reminded me strongly of what I remember of Magic Tree House books, which is definitely not a bad thing.
Runstedler's writing style reminded me strongly of what I remember of Magic Tree House books, which is definitely not a bad thing.
April 28, 2013
I recieved this novel from NetGalley.
This short novel was sweet and moving, it allowed the characters to progress, to show the reader into the lives of the characters and their thoughts.
The plot was engaging and enjoyable, it took me on a journey, one that was enjoyable and thought evoking. The characters were relateable, whitty and normal, they were just normal kids going through something horrible and found a beautiful way to cope, creating inspiring friendships and a wonderful sense of hope.
A lovely, fast read, perfect for teenage readers, something to make them think and appreciate what they have.
This short novel was sweet and moving, it allowed the characters to progress, to show the reader into the lives of the characters and their thoughts.
The plot was engaging and enjoyable, it took me on a journey, one that was enjoyable and thought evoking. The characters were relateable, whitty and normal, they were just normal kids going through something horrible and found a beautiful way to cope, creating inspiring friendships and a wonderful sense of hope.
A lovely, fast read, perfect for teenage readers, something to make them think and appreciate what they have.
August 26, 2014
I didn't enjoy this as much as I hoped. I mean, come on, they travelled back in time through a ghost and a Ouija board, that could've been awesome. But instead, I got a novel about healing and getting over the death of a parent. Not to be insensitive or something, but I didn't sign up for that! The blurb didn't say anything about touchy-feely things like that. I expected something creepy and solving the death of the ghost. So I misunderstood the blurb. Oh, well.
April 4, 2013
I read this book for free in exchange for an unbiased review.
Young Adult story about slipping back in time after using an Ouija Board. Engaging story well told it will appeal to girls in their early teens.
Young Adult story about slipping back in time after using an Ouija Board. Engaging story well told it will appeal to girls in their early teens.
May 23, 2014
Two teenage girls find a Ouija Board and decide to play on it. That is as far as I got. The dialogue was pretty cliche, and the story unoriginal. That being said, I could see my junior high self interested in this story.
Middle school/JHS
Middle school/JHS
September 17, 2012
Surprising amount of tension for a teen title -- love the ouija board aspect.
May 24, 2016
Full review on my blog: http://www.librarianrecommended.com/2...
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