Review: Ruby's Slippers by Leanna Ellis

Ruby's Slippers

About the Book:

Dottie Meyers, 35, is a real-life Dorothy Gale living with her little black dog on a small farm in Kansas that’s about to be hit by a tornado. Knocked unconscious by the storm, she awakes three months later at a recovery facility in California where her father, last seen when she was four, has left her a mysterious pair of ruby slippers.

But unlike The Wizard of Oz, this isn’t a dream, and the yellow brick road journey that Dottie and three friends are about to take from Los Angeles to Seattle in search of her dad, will show the realities of a broken childhood. More importantly, everything connected to those sparkling red shoes will prove to Dottie that there’s only one true wonder Worker behind the so-called curtain who can heal her wounds and prepare the heart for love.

My thoughts:

This is another book that has found its way to my bookshelf, and isn't going anywhere. Dottie's story is such a fun adventure! Having cared for her sick mother until her death, she's still living in the house she grew up in; still living the quiet life she's always lived; and does not even want to imagine any kind of change to her routine. In other words, she's in a very predictable, very boring rut, until a literal tornado takes her staid life and shakes it up completely! She wakes up three months later confused, fearful, uncertain, and unable to make sense of her life. Her sister, Abby, has moved her to California during her coma, and pretty much gotten rid of everything from her old life. With a body that's slowly recovering, she meets the other characters living in the Santa Barbara Retirement Center, or 'Rainbow's End'; Maybelle (a four foot tall retired carnival worker), and Sophia (battled breast cancer, now her chest tends to get lopsided).  Finally reunited with Otto, her faithful dog, she discovers that sometime during her coma, her long lost father has visited and left some ruby slippers for her. The slippers belonged to her grandmother, and Dottie sees this as her father making an effort at last. With her farm in Kansas just about to be auctioned off, she decides to meet her father in person, hoping he can help settle her questions along with selling the shoes so she can buy back her farm. With Sophia, and Otto of course, off they go to Seattle. Along the way, they pick up two extra travelers who are a little lost also, and what follows is a great experience that helps each of them find themselves.

Sprinkled with little call backs to The Wizard of Oz, this is a story that will make you smile. You root for Dottie to find her answers, and you also can't help but enjoy all the people she meets on her 'yellow brick road'. Especially Leo, Sophia's son, who is a little bit broken himself. Dottie and Leo circle around one another, and their banter is just so cute to watch! Dottie hasn't ever had someone tease her and rile her quite as quickly and as often as Leo seems to. For Leo, Dottie's bravery and determination are intriguing. (Plus he really just likes to see how quick he can make her blush.) Their interactions are simply charming. Overall, this adventure is delightful and amusing to read! Try it yourself! You won't be disappointed.

A passage for you:

"You remind me of a school teacher I had once."
"What did you do? Put gum in her chair? Burn her desk? Pull a knife on her?"
For a long moment he doesn't answer. He studies me as if I'm under a microscope. Resisting the urge to flinch or look away, I glare right back. Intelligence sparkles in his eyes. His mouth tugs sideways. He's enjoying this too much.
"So..." I prompt, uncomfortable with his scrutiny. "Did you get kicked out of her class?"
"Nope." His mouth tugs to one side in a self-satisfied grin. "Top student. Highest grade in the class."
Why do I doubt that?
"I kissed her."
I shouldn't be surprised, but I am.
"Not sure that had anything to do with my grade though. But I think she'd have given me an A for the kiss."

Toodle-loo kangaroos! Happy Reading!