Sometimes the Girl: Chapters 17–24

by Jennifer Mason-Black
Teenager Holiday Burton, who is struggling with big, traumatic issues in her life, takes a job with the elderly author Elsie McAllister. The secrets she uncovers in Elsie's attic will change her life.

Here are links to our lists for the book:

Chapters 1–8, Chapters 9–16, Chapters 17–24, Chapters 25–33, Chapters 34–Epilogue.
15 words 6 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. antiquarian
    of or relating to artifacts or objects from the past
    “I have friends in antiquarian book circles. I should check in with them about these.”
  2. unrequited
    not returned in kind
    Which could mean requited or unrequited love existed.
  3. simultaneously
    at the same instant
    Joggers pushing baby strollers, weekend bikers stretching their legs, students sneaking out of houses and regretting the things they did last night, a gaggle of kids headed for the park—I simultaneously love and hate this place.
  4. cryptic
    having a secret or hidden meaning
    Pinned to one is a page of flowered stationery with a single line as cryptic as the others.
  5. subtext
    a meaning that is not expressly stated but can be inferred
    Subtext: she doesn’t want me here.
  6. impasse
    a situation in which no progress can be made
    An impasse—that’s the correct term for this.
  7. paraphernalia
    equipment consisting of miscellaneous articles
    Whatever the reality of Hers and Hers is, there’s also this: deep and genuine affection for a dead man who loved him some Civil War paraphernalia.
  8. pessimist
    a person who expects the worst
    Does it even make a difference to anyone other than cheerful pessimists and pedants?
  9. pedant
    a person who is preoccupied with rules and learning
    Does it even make a difference to anyone other than cheerful pessimists and pedants?
  10. au pair
    a foreigner who lives with a family and provides childcare
    “Then I go to Barcelona. I’ve a job as an au pair for six months. Maybe longer, depending.”
  11. ultimatum
    a final peremptory demand
    “It’s a question of her wishes. I could give her an ultimatum, if your sense is that she’s failing and needs to be placed in a care facility.”
  12. genteel
    marked by refinement in taste and manners
    Mouse lives in genteel Amherst, in an ancient house with a porch in the front surrounded by antique climbing roses and a hidden garden designed for native pollinators out back.
  13. sumptuous
    rich and superior in quality
    Juliet’s voice comes from the sumptuous mound of couches and cushions they call a living room.
  14. amalgam
    a combination or blend of diverse things
    To be a person and not an amalgam of pixels and likes and data.
  15. utopia
    ideally perfect state
    As Rosemary Quill—I adore her pen name—Juliet’s created a feminist utopia where women love and help each other heal from trauma...
Created on Tue Mar 31 05:35:44 EDT 2026 (updated Mon May 04 21:29:31 EDT 2026)

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