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    Thanksgiving at the Inn
    Unavailable
    Thanksgiving at the Inn
    Unavailable
    Thanksgiving at the Inn
    Ebook201 pages2 hours

    Thanksgiving at the Inn

    By Tim Whitney

    3/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Tells the story of Heath Wellington III, a young boy whose life is changed when forced
    to take over his family’s rural Massachusetts farm and bed and breakfast, alongside his
    father, Junior, after the death of the grandfather he barely remembers. With the help of the inn’s quirky residents, Heath and Junior confront their strained relationship and Heath Senior’s death.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBancroft Press
    Release dateOct 12, 2009
    ISBN9781890862749
    Unavailable
    Thanksgiving at the Inn

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    Reviews for Thanksgiving at the Inn

    3/5

    30 ratings11 reviews

    What did you think?

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    Review must be at least 10 words

    • 3/5
      Summary: Heath Wellington the III's wealthy grandfather, a man he never knew, meets an untimely death after accidentally falling from a rooftop. Since, his mother split, Heath and his father, an aspiring writer, have been barely able to make ends meet. With this unfortunate news, comes the high aspirations of a potential inheritance and a richer life. Honestly, who really cares if they can't seem to get along? Money fixes everything, right? However, their bubble is quickly burst, with the reading of the will. You see, since Heath Wellington Sr aka "Senior" and Health's dad "Junior" had been estranged for over ten years, Senior's decided to put some major stipulations on their inheritance. In order to receive his father's estate, Junior must take "...a new direction in life- by successfully managing Senior's bed and breakfast, with Health, for the next three months." Is Senior just trying to control Junior's life, even from his grave, or did actually have a grander plan?Ramblings: Thanksgiving at the Inn is a middle grade book littered with unusual characters.Sally, a tattoo ridden ex-con moonlighting as a children's book writer, Winsted, a Jamaican preacher with a rap sheet, Carter, a secret Harvard Graduate and finally Mrs Ferrel a kindly old woman who is giving away her dead husband's fortunes to charity, one letter at a time, ALL are tenants at the Sleepy Inn. The story is told from a 12 year old boy's perspective. Not unlike most tweens, Heath's having a trying time getting along with his father and it isn't helping that he's recently been suspended from school for cheating. With the news of "Senior's" passing, Heath witnesses his father's mood go from bad to worse and he's taking it all out on him. The stipulations set forth in the will, send Heath and his father cross country to manage his grandfather's Inn for three months. During Heath's stay, at The Sleepy Inn, he develops a special bond with each one of the eccentric tenants. The story takes place around Thanksgiving for good reason. Being thankful for what you have and the importance/strength of family are common themes brought out in this holiday story. The only drawback was the ending being slightly anti-climatic. Though it wrapped the story up neatly, it still felt slightly rushed. The reader is left with some unanswered questions. It would have been nice if the author had explored deeper how Junior and Senior had become estranged. Despite this minor flaw, though, Thanksgiving at the Inn is a delightful read which should help most anyone get into the holiday spirit.Recommendations: The age group this story was intended for was 9-12 year olds. I'm not convinced the younger crowd would appreciate the story and relate to the main character. Heath may be slightly too serious, the story and plot line above their heads. I'd say the middle grade reader, boy or girl would certainly enjoy this piece. In addition, adults in general would find the messages and story worth there time, too. So give it a try, especially during the holidays because reading Thanksgiving at the Inn just may help the holiday season become even more meaningful.
    • 3/5
      I really enjoyed this story. The characters are fun and I could relate to the struggle between Heath and his father. I could definitely see myself picking this book up each year at Thanksgiving time. Surprising that this is Tim Whitney's first book.
    • 4/5
      I think that the two words that sum this book up are sweet and heartwarming. Yet, not swarmy sweet! I really enjoyed reading it though I had to wonder if the author had a formula or plan for all the "issues" he wanted to include. Another concern is that I could not quite figure out what age group this would be good for. It seemed to be on about the level of 5th or 6th grade in terms of construct, but the topic seemed more geared to older readers. I like the fact that both boys and girls could read it, and I think it would be a great book for a class in Massachusetts to be reading. Coincidentally, my town came up and of course it is always fun to read something that is set in a familiar location close to home.There's a lot of good ways to use this book for meaningful discussion either in a classroom, or a reading group, or as a family. The ending is predictable, but how we got there was not. I also think the characters very much came to life as individuals and how they clicked together. A sequel would be nice... in fact a series would be fine by me!!
    • 4/5
      hanksgiving at the Inn turned out to be the perfect feel good read for me right now. I received the book earlier this summer from Bancroft Press but didn't get a chance to read until last night. It turned out to be perfect fall reading and to get me ready for the Holidays that are quickly sneaking up on me. Heath Wellington III has been suspended from school for cheating, his father is a sometime alcoholic and a struggling writer and his grandfather just died. Life isn't easy but things begin to change when he and his father make the trip to Massachusetts to take over ownership of Senior's Inn. Heath and his father find the kindness of others and family in a new place and are able to begin healing their relationship right in time for Thanksgiving. A wonderfully, sweet story of families and love. A great group of characters that keeps it interesting throughout. I never knew who else I would be meeting and what their secret would be. Loved it. I look forward to more young adult books from TIm Whitney. Thanksgiving at the Inn came out on October 1st.
    • 1/5
      I reviewed this, then deleted the book from my library - not realising that it would delete the review too.This was one book I couldn't finish. It was very sickly sweet in its theme and it dealt with the issues in a very shallow way so that people could live happily-ever-after. As a reader of a lot of YA fiction, I felt it talked down to its reader and patronised them - which led to me wondering if it was intended for a much younger audience.Not one I could recommend, unfortunately :(
    • 3/5
      Thanksgiving at the Inn is a heartwarming tale where the central characters not only learn from each other but also themselves. I enjoyed watching the progression both remaining Wellington’s made as each navigated their way through complex relationships. I found the struggle for the father and son to bond after the loss of Heath’s mother and Junior’s father believable and honest.While I was disappointed in the elder Heath’s emotional abandonment of his son at a critical juncture of life it drove the story with great impact. I found it interesting to watch Junior replay and relive the sins of his father with his own son. His behavior and actions echoed those that were perpetrated against him long ago and he still didn’t have the common sense to look through his own pain to make it better for his own child. The fact that he continued to be so spiteful towards Senior (despite the man no longer being present) made it more believable that his own son did his best to be the better man.I adored the youngest Heath as the central character. Despite some challenging circumstances and situations his reactions and behavior were far more dignified than a typical boy his age. He was so well mannered and caring, love starved even, as he built relationships with the Inn-habitants and other members from town that he interacted with. He was not without his faults but was honest about them and did his best to become a better person.Whitney built a wonderful cast of characters in the Inn-habitants. The diversity of their lives allowed Heath to experience different life lessons through each. Even better, the author did well to showcase each individual and their life story without side-tracking the all encompassing plot by focusing too much on any. They were all a means to an end not the main story.If you are looking for a light, quick read about family dynamics and growing as a person then Whitney’s Thanksgiving at the Inn is a wonderful selection to add to your shelves.
    • 3/5
      Here's a lovely young adult story line about people who manage to take life's bad breaks but continue to smile. The theme is one of gratitude--counting blessings rather than listing negatives.The protagonist, Heath, is a delightful teenager who has a difficult time with his overbearing father. Heath is suspended from school for a week because of a teacher's error--she thinks Heath was cheating on a test when in fact, he was not. He is punished with suspension from school. Now, I taught high school, and cheating is never punished with a suspension; a student may make a failing grade for cheating or be made to retake the test, but suspension is saved for much more serious offenses--like fighting.Heath's father, Junior, is a demanding, growling, negative alcoholic who transforms into a man who grins ear to ear while in pain, waiting in a hospital bed for surgery on a broken leg. That is a bit much to swallow. The character should have been fleshed out.This novel contains profanity. I know that teens hear profanity and no doubt the majority use it; however, I feel that there is no place in a young adult novel for it.
    • 2/5
      Heath Wellington and his father, Junior, stand to inherit a life-changing fortune if they can spend three months managing their grandfather's bed and breakfast, located in the same Massachusetts home Junior has spent the last eight years trying to escape.Billed as a 'story of family and forgiveness', the book unfortunately reads like it was edited by an amateur (along the lines of a short story submitted by a reader of a women's magazine that you read waiting in the dentist's office, mainly because it kept your mind off an upcoming filling) - the plot is predictable and there is no tension in the story to make running a b&b for a few months look any harder than it sounds (in fact, it's rather easier since other people keep doing all the work). I did quite like their Jamaican friend Winsted, but I found the protagonists really rather annoying.
    • 3/5
      In the first chapter, we find out that the protagonist's grandfather (a well-loved and successful businessman nicknamed 'Senior') has left his alcoholic, struggling writer son a ramshackle old B&B in Maine with the requirement that he must take care of it for 3 months and earn the approval of a motley crew of tenants in order to inherit Senior's considerable fortune. This sets the tone for the rest of the book.The book was a quick, light read, with the requisite happy ending. But the characterizations and plotlines are so simple and earnest as to be preachy, and Whitney seems to think that writing for young people is like writing for stupid adults. This is Whitney's first book, and I think he is a promising writer, but if he's going to deal with issues like alcoholism, autism, and prison time, he's going to have to tackle the darker sides of his material.
    • 2/5
      This is definitely a book for very young readers as the story is simple, the sentences are short and the print is huge. It is easily read at a sitting and, although advertised as a family book as well as YA, I found it far too sentimental for my tastes. Perhaps it would appeal more to the American audience it is aimed at, especially as it is themed around Thanksgiving, which is a totally American concept.The hero, Heath, is a young man of indeterminate age but I would guess at around 12 or early teens. Despite meeting some extremely colourful characters in his new home I found it difficult to believe that any boy would be so content in the company of just adults and felt that the story would have felt more real if there had been another boy or two his own age near the Inn.
    • 5/5
      It’s been a while since I’ve read such a “feel good” story. And at first, you don’t realize that the book will turn out like that. You just think that Heath and Junior will argue and the book will end like that. But was I wrong! Every single character has tons of personality and some of them may even remind you of your own friends or family! I know they remind me of a few people I know. And for those that didn’t remind me, I wanted to hang out with them there at the Inn. Everyone has their own situations to deal with in the book, and it reminds you of our own and how you can conquer it. With anger, laughter, sadness, and family values come into play with every single page and chapter. While Amazon says its for ages 9-12, every age can learn from it. You’re never too old to learn a life lesson. You get a new found sense of love for your family and strangers you meet. You can either be someone who has the problem but doesn’t do anything about it. You can be someone who wants to do something about it but not sure what. Or you can be that person that finally changes everything around. That’s what you’ll learn. I promise