The Butler Gets a Break: A Bellweather Tale

Goodreads Bit:    All is (temporarily) peaceful in the village of Eel-Smack-by-the-Bay. An art heist has been averted, an albino alligator refuge established, and a family of refugee circus performers, gainfully employed. After much thought (and a tell-all memoir) Tristan Benway has decided to remain in the employ of the Bellweather family, and the children, especially, have tried to mend their ways.

But old habits die hard, and when the triplets - Brick, Spike, and Sassy - experiment in negative space on the lighthouse stairs, Benway ends up in the hospital with a broken leg, and the Bellweathers are left without a butler.  

The family's efforts to find an interim servant fail miserably. Their troubles mount as they become mixed-up with a band of roving Gypsies, paleontological discoveries gone awry, and encounters with rare attack squirrels.  But letting the recuperating Benway know of their plight is not an option. As the Bellweathers spin increasingly amazing stories of their "new servant" at Benway's bedside, the poor butler starts to wonder if he was ever needed. . .

My Thoughts:

-    This was another charming Bellweather Tale.

-    The cover is perfect for the story!  It really shows what is going on with each individual family member.

-    I didn't find the story as intriguing as the first book, but it was still cute.

-    These books remind me a lot Lemony Snicket's books.

-    I love how Benway tries to pretend he isn't attached to the family, and how he isn't addicted to a certain TV show.

-    I also liked that the book showed that the Benway family really needs Benway, and they think he is part of the family.

-    I want a butler.  Maybe not one like Benway, but one like Carson (from Downton Abbey).  I think Benway is only suited for the Bellweather family.

-    I think I would have enjoyed this more if I were younger.  I'm sure kids around 12 or so would love this book though!

Leaving the Bellweathers

From Goodreads:    The young Bellweathers–fourteen-year-old Spider, thirteen-year-old Ninda, and the ten-year-old triplets, Brick, Spike, and Sassy–and their equally peculiar parents have brought constant chaos to the once-peaceful village of Eel-Smack-by-the-Bay. Still, no one has suffered more than their loyal butler, Benway, who has finally had enough. He is secretly writing his tell-all memoirs, packing his bags, and planning his move to a tropical location, Far, Far Away.
But when the siblings discover Benway is preparing to leave their lighthouse home, they band together to prove how much he’s needed, as only Bellweathers can. . . . 
Full of comic capers and close calls, an art heist and albino alligators, and good intentions gone wrong, Kristin Clark Venuti’s hilarious debut novel introduces a new family that is absolutely unforgettable.

My Thoughts:

-    This was a really cute and humorous book!

-    The cover is a lot of fun, and after reading the book, I fell like it captures the Bellweather family perfectly!

-    I like how the font changes for Benway's journal entries.

-    Spider, Brick, and Sassy are terrible names for children.

-    The way that things are described is pretty funny.  I also got a kick out of the names of things, like St. Whiplash.

-    The writing reminds me of Lemony Snicket's books.

-    I disliked a lot of the family members at first, and I thought they were all out of control and crazy, but by the end, a lot of them grew on me.  I still don't like Ninda though.

-    I liked Benway a lot.  He was such a funny character, and I really sympathized with him.

-    The triplets reminded me of the 3 little boys from Brave.

-    I loved the transition in the book, and I thought the ending was sweet.

-    This book is definitely for younger readers, but I thought it was fun.