The most compelling aspect was when Blue went after Shawn and the fire started. I really didn’t know what the book would be about and didn’t have high expectations for it. AHS/EK

Reviewed by Steph for TeensReadToo.com

Blue is an interesting girl, and not just because her name is different. Blue has been moving all of her life, living at different ranches in Wyoming every two months. Her mom can never seem to enjoy any ranch she works on, and because of all the moves Blue has never been able to find a place that seemed like home, a place where she could "plant her roots".

However, Blue finally finds a place where she can plant her roots and call home. She connects and saves some animals, and she even finds a boy who makes her stomach flutter every time she sees him. But then Blue's mother wants to leave, but Blue doesn't want to; she has already planted those roots.

In the end, Blue must decide if she should pick up and go with her mom, or nurture her roots in a place that she considers her home.

Mackie d'Arge writes a wonderful novel that is incredibly fast-paced. The reader relates to Blue and her story, fighting with Blue along every step of her journey. Readers will be enthralled with LIFTING THE SKY through all of its 310 pages. ( )

12 year old Blue has never lived anywhere for more than three months since her Father ran away from her and her mother at the age of 4 saying that he was going out to buy some mustard. No, Blue and her Mom live together at different ranches in Wyoming. Her Mom always gets a job at being a ranch hand and so they always have living quarters. Blue dreams of living in a house in the mountains, peaceful and beautiful, and to stay much more permanently then what they were used to. She even draws a picture of her dream. Soon, her dream starts coming true when her Mom finds an add looking for a ranch hand at a ranch not far away from were they landed. Blue starts to get her hopes up as Mr. Mac, the owner, lets Blue and her mom stay in the big house that looks like the dream house she drew in her picture. However, it needs a few repairs and such, but maybe if she pulls it off, she will be able to convince her mom to stay. Thats not the only excitement that happens at the ranch though, Blue has a power of seeing 'lights' around her and other people, animals, and objects. At the ranch, the lights seem to get brighter and Blue learns how to use them to help others and her calf with the broken leg. A lot more adventures await in "Lifting The Sky" but I don't want to spoil the fun of reading about them!!

"Lifting the Sky" turned out different than what I thought it would be like. I didn't know that Blue would have powers in the story! Even so, I enjoyed it. It was clean, adventurous, and adventurous. Blue is a like able character! However, I did think the middle of the story was a little bit slow, but by the end it picked up into a nice pace again. Mackie D'Arge concluded the story nicely. Overall, it was a pretty enjoyable story except for it being a little slow in the middle!