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Just Wondering: Alice's Story (Sorrento Book 1) by [Jianna Higgins, S Joan Popek]

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Jianna Higgins

Just Wondering: Alice's Story (Sorrento Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Jianna Higgins (Author), S Joan Popek (Editor) Format: Kindle Edition

11 ratings

Book 1 of 3: Sorrento

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Forced into a retirement home too early, Alice learns it's never too late for friendship, mystery, and love…

A Gold Medal winner in the Global Ebook Awards 2015 in the Popular Literature Fiction and in the Humor categories!

Alice wants out. Thrown into an old people's home at 75, she does everything she can to escape. When she meets the witty, orange-haired Ruby and bonds with a cat, Alice decides to stay. Her choice is rewarded when she falls for the home's newest resident, Henry. The only problem is that Ruby saw him first, and she's looking for husband number six…

As Alice deals with an obnoxious teenager on community service, a rescue mission, and the theft of Henry's manuscripts, she realizes life on the inside may not be so bad after all.

Just Wondering is the first book in a multi-award winning series featuring the compelling residents and staff of the Sorrento Retirement Facility. If you like unforgettable characters, razor sharp wit, and engaging prose, then you'll love reading this story of a septuagenarian sleuth.

Buy Just Wondering to join this colorful cast of characters today!

Print length

225 pages
Language

English
Publication date

April 21, 2014
File size

2087 KB
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Total Price: $8.97

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Books In This Series (3 Books)

Complete Series

Sorrento

Kindle Edition

Page 1 of 1Start OverPage 1 of 1

1
Just Wondering: Alice's Story (Sorrento Book 1)
Jianna Higgins

(11)

Kindle Edition

$2.99
2
Just Going: Lily's Story (Sorrento Book 2)
Jianna Higgins

(15)

Kindle Edition

$2.99
3
Just Saying: Melanie's Story (Sorrento Book 3)
Jianna Higgins

(5)

Kindle Edition

$2.99

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Editorial Reviews

Review

By Brenda Casto for Readers' Favorite - 5 stars

Thecover of Just Wondering really caught my eye, but the story inside reallycaptured my imagination and wouldn't let go. Ms. Higgins easily grabbed me fromthe beginning pages with the character of Alice. She was such a funnycharacter, even when she wasn't trying to be. She didn't hesitate to jump inand help a friend when she was being bullied, and I loved the way she didn'tlet the charge nurse Melanie Moth intimidate her. I really felt like Alice gota new lease on life by going to the Sorrento Retirement Facility, and it trulymade me think differently about such places. The friendships that were madewere wonderful, especially the friendships Lily made; it was just what she neededto boost her confidence. The character of Ruby Smith was great. I could easilyimagine her, and honestly couldn't wait to see what she might say or do next!

There was never a dull moment with the story, and while there were a fewserious moments, there were plenty of fun filled scenes. The mystery woven intothe story wasn't easy to solve and lent a cozy feel to the story for me. WhileJust Wondering is the first book I have read by Jianna Higgins, it certainlywon't be my last. Her writing style is engaging, her descriptions are veryrealistic, bringing the characters and setting to life. Anyone who enjoys awell-written, humorous read with strong characters won't be disappointed!

From the Author

This story contains bullying by staff at a retirement facility. As a teenager visiting my grandmother, and later visiting my mother who developed dementia, I only ever met kind, caring staff who looked after the residents at the resthomes where they spent their last years. The characters of Melanie and her daughter are entirely fictitious.

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00K2403EC
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Southern Star Publications (April 21, 2014)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 21, 2014
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 2087 KB
Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Unlimited
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 225 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #2,825,548 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #4,128 in American Humorous Fiction
- #6,944 in Women's Humorous Fiction
- #13,701 in Women's Literary Fiction

Customer Reviews:
11 ratings

About the author

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Jianna Higgins

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Jianna was born in Auckland, New Zealand. From the moment she picked up a crayon she was scribbling stories, although no one else could read the earliest ones.

She graduated from the University of Waikato with a Bachelor of Education and pursued a career in teaching. Developing childrens' creative writing skills was her favorite part of the job. She is currently working in the health and disability sector and is planning to write full time in the future.

If it's summer, Jianna enjoys taking her two dogs to the beach, and if it's winter she heads to the mountains to ski or ride her snowboard.

*AWARDS*

- Silver Medal winner in Global Ebook Awards 2017 in Inspirational for Just Saying

- Silver Medal winner in Global Ebook Awards 2017 in Humor for Just Kidding

- First Place winner in LYRA Book Awards 2017 in Women's Fiction

- Honorable Mention medal in Readers' Favorite International Book Awards 2016 in Humor category

- Gold Medal winner in Global Ebook Awards 2015 in Popular Literature Fiction

- Gold Medal winner in Global Ebook Awards 2015 in Humor category

- Top 5 finalist in Chatelaine Awards for Just Going + Just Wondering

- Top 5 finalist in Chanticleer Summer Shorts and Novellas

- Honorable Mention medal in Global Ebook Awards 2014 in Popular Literature Fiction

- Top 5 finalist in Readers' Favorite International Book Awards 2014 in Women's Fiction

- Shortlisted finalist in Writers' Village International Novel Award 2014 in open genre

- Semi finalist in Kindle Best Indie Book Awards 2014 in Young Adult

- Top 5 finalist in Kindle Best Indie Book Awards 2013 in Short Fiction

Favorite TV series - Big Bang Theory, Friends, Game of Thrones.

Favorite movies - Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, Star Wars, Star Trek, The Lake House, The Shawshank Redemption.

Favorite genres - Women's Ficton, YA, fantasy, contemporary.

Visit Jianna's website at http://jiannahiggins.com/. She is on twitter @jiannahiggins or you can make friends with her on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jianna.higgins.

Customer reviews

5 star		89%
4 star		11%
3 star 0% (0%)		0%
2 star 0% (0%)		0%
1 star 0% (0%)		0%

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Top reviews from the United States

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Anastasia

Just amazing

Reviewed in the United States on May 4, 2014

Verified Purchase

This book came along at a very interesting time as I got my hands on it when my parents left on vacation and I was left with two grandmothers for a week.

After "Just Going" it was very interesting to read the story from Alice's perspective, have some things explained that Lily just couldn't know when telling her side of the story, and then see how Alice's mindset has changed. She and her "retirement buddies" are having as much fun as they can, as much as the unfamiliar and sometimes hostile environment lets them. There are things that are far from being fun, of course, but this story is more like real life than fiction.

In Lily's story we see how Lily helps other people and other people help her, making her change, starting with her appearance and ending with her attitude, even affecting her family. In "Just Wondering" it's Alice's turn to change people's lives and change herself.

Another brilliant, sweet, absolutely real story.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Sue Fairchild

Great set of books - read all of them!

Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2014

Verified Purchase

I have read Jianna Higgins other novel - Just Going: Lily's Story. Just Wondering is from Alice's perspective of the same timeline of events. I was anxious to see how the author accomplished this and I was not disappointed. The author's voice still rings true in this story of the elder Alice, but it is a very different work. Alice's depression and sadness of being "locked up" in a retirement facility is a different kind of depression and sadness that Lily feels in her story, but the similarities between the two bring the reader into the story. The story kept me engaged with the characters and Jianna does a great job of making the reader connect with her characters enough that you want to keep reading.

Helpful

Deborah Owen

The Genius End of a Trilogy

Reviewed in the United States on May 5, 2014

Verified Purchase

As a writing tutor and editor, I give Jianna Higgins a high five for an outstanding trilogy.

As Alice adjusts to nursing home life, she meets Ruby, who is rather fond of orange. So fond that her hair is orange, her clothes are orange, and her room is orange. These two snappy oldsters flit from one mischief to another like sneaky teenagers. The witty dialogue made me laugh out loud. Add three flirty old men to the brew, Ruby's love of lust (cracked me up), and the mystery of stolen manuscripts and you have a heartwarming, entertaining story you can't lay down.

Alice assumes the role of Agatha Christie as she searches for the novels, but the thing that really makes this book is the depth of characters that morph in the face of adversity, discouragement, guilt, romance, mystery and the final overcoming victory. A must read!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Snow Queen

A Great follow up to the first Alice books.

Reviewed in the United States on May 15, 2014

Verified Purchase

Just Wondering

I thoroughly enjoyed reading more about Alice. This book includes the first 2 Alice stories but the new story Just Wondering is a novel by itself. This old lady has the beginnings of dementia and forgets a lot of things but she's still witty and smart enough to go after a thief. It shows that people don't have a used by date and that people of all ages deserve to be treated with respect and dignity. It tackles the issue of bullying but I loved how Alice didn't just sit down and take it. Great story and I like the author's descriptions and the way she writes.

Helpful

Mitzi

What a wonderful story!

Reviewed in the United States on July 16, 2014

Verified Purchase

I loved this series so much and truly did not want them to end. The author's style is very laid back, but takes a lot of twists and turns. The books broke my heart, made me want to stamp my foot and left me wanting for more! I will be looking for whatever this author writes next! Thank you for my very favorite summer read ~ it touched my heart!

One person found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

"An Awesome Novel -- Humor, Romance, Suspense, With Lots of Attitude"

Reviewed in the United States on July 29, 2014

This is a novel I've been waiting for. It's about an old woman, Alice Williams, who is going to live in a senior care facility ... against her wishes. She tells her daughter the facility is nothing but a prison for old people, waiting to die. The nurse of her wing is Melanie Moth, also called Miss Happy Pants by some. She's hardly a happy woman, rather sour in her attitude. Alice keeps saying she's not staying, but in realty, her apartment has been sold, and she has no place to go. After a failed attempt of trying to leave, she succumbs to her fate, but she vows to make life miserable for lots of people. You see, she has attitude, and though her body is slowing down, she still has lots of life in her. She meets a 16 year old girl, Lily who is doing 50 hours of community service and takes a liking to her. And then the next person she meets is Ruby, on a walker, who shows her where the bathroom is located and it's not long before they bond in friendship. They are both old, widowed, but still very young at heart. And the most remarkable person she adds to her friend's list is Henry, also a new resident and Ruby and Alice both think he's hot! And here is where the adventure and mischief begins. The characters in this wonderful, captivating story are well defined, very true to life as far as seniors are concerned. The author has done a marvelous job of capturing your attention with humor, romantic notions, suspense, and mystery. It's a fun read and I'll be reading more stories by this author. I'm hooked! You will be, too! Come ... meet Alice. She's an amazing woman, with strength and understanding. She'll warm your heart.

2 people found this helpful

Helpful

Kindle Customer

Copping An Attitude

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2014

Just Wondering is a delightful tale of an older woman trying to adjust to her twilight years. People are now talking about her as if she's not really there, making decisions for her she would have never made if left to her own devices and she handles all of this by copping an attitude and acting a little cranky. What the reader sees behind all of that attitude is a scared woman who sees less years ahead of her and her good health a vague memory. The wonderful thing about this story is it reminds the reader that older people may be less capable of taking care of themselves but they're still the same people they were before old age caught up with them. They have feelings, desires, ambitions and can add as much to our lives and we can add to theirs.

Just Wondering will make you think about your future and it will hopefully give you some compassion, because sooner than later we all wind up just wondering.

Helpful

Top reviews from other countries

Amazon Customer

Wonderful entertainment

Reviewed in Australia on June 29, 2017

Verified Purchase

I really enjoyed this book. I was taken on a journey with the character Alice from her fear of loneliness and despair as her world falls apart with the death of her husband and friends to the loss of her beloved cat Bella. Her most dreaded fear comes when she is admitted to the nursing facility. The development of the characters due to Alice's influence is wonderful as I could see her begin to form friendships and revert to her leadership skills as a teacher. Her close group become almost St Trinian like in their escapades which are dealt with in a humorous way that had me captured until the end. I would definitely recommend this book.

Sean Fraser

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Just Wondering: Alice's Story (Sorrento Book 1) Kindle Edition

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About the Author

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About the author

Jianna Higgins

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