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yeontan's review
2.0
I really wanted to like this and it wasn't a bad book at all it just wasn't for me. It took me nearly two months and I still didn't find it compelling enough to finish :/but I do think others might enjoy it.
aubryhernandezz's review
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
3.0
ameserole's review
4.0
Oh man! I don't even remember what day I put this on my TBR list but I was so happy when I finally was able to get the book and read it!
Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies definitely gave me the vibe of The Devil Wears Prada; however, it was way better than that book!
Harper, the MC, was amazing and completely likable. She's hardworking and is constantly under stress at work. She has to make everything just right and completely perfect or she gets fired. Seems kind of unrealistic to me because nobody's perfect and nobody can be perfect alllll of the time. HOWEVER, I just loved this book. I loved Harper so much.
This was a pretty quick and easy read. Totally fun with some interesting aspects throughout the book. Harper isn't perfect, because let's face it nobody is. She get into some fun shenanigans but then there's also some cringing moments too. I totally understand the whole pressure and deadlines at work - even though I'm a biller we do close the last week of every month. I'm at work from like 8:30am to like 1 am every day that week. WHY? Well because we need to reach a certain goal number every month and people like to dilly dally the first three weeks of every damn month and force the billers to stay extra late and actually bill all of the companys that were expecting us to bill them in the beginning or the middle of the month.
Stressful deadlines? CHECK AND MATE.
Overall, I really liked Laura's writing. I could totally see myself rereading this book whenever I get the chance. I can also see myself falling in love with another one of her books.
Little Black Dresses, Little White Lies definitely gave me the vibe of The Devil Wears Prada; however, it was way better than that book!
Harper, the MC, was amazing and completely likable. She's hardworking and is constantly under stress at work. She has to make everything just right and completely perfect or she gets fired. Seems kind of unrealistic to me because nobody's perfect and nobody can be perfect alllll of the time. HOWEVER, I just loved this book. I loved Harper so much.
This was a pretty quick and easy read. Totally fun with some interesting aspects throughout the book. Harper isn't perfect, because let's face it nobody is. She get into some fun shenanigans but then there's also some cringing moments too. I totally understand the whole pressure and deadlines at work - even though I'm a biller we do close the last week of every month. I'm at work from like 8:30am to like 1 am every day that week. WHY? Well because we need to reach a certain goal number every month and people like to dilly dally the first three weeks of every damn month and force the billers to stay extra late and actually bill all of the companys that were expecting us to bill them in the beginning or the middle of the month.
Stressful deadlines? CHECK AND MATE.
Overall, I really liked Laura's writing. I could totally see myself rereading this book whenever I get the chance. I can also see myself falling in love with another one of her books.
indecisivesailorscout's review
3.0
This book came out a while ago, but I'm so behind on these, I definitely want to make an effort to crank out some reviews soon. LBDLWL is the teenage version of The Devil Wears Prada meets Buzzfeed. Parts of this book were just as stressful as the chick lit inspiration behind it: Harper gets into some seriously sticky situations, with insane pressure on her to get everything done juuuust right - or else it's the boot for her and twice the work for everyone else. Mix in a delightfully flirty and funny love interest, friendship drama, and small town woes, and you've got yourself a sure-fire good time summer read.
What I Liked: I'm honestly not big on contemporary fiction, but there are a fair few that really catch my eye and keep me locked in, and this book was one of them. While not necessarily the most #relatable as far as realistic fic goes, the shenanigans that Harper seems to revolve around are charmingly naive one second and cringe-worthy reality checks the next. While I've never worked for a hit teen magazine, I sympathized with the pressure for deadlines and meeting goals that can work their way into becoming an addiction if you do it right enough times. Shift is very much a tongue-in-cheek, Buzzfeed/Teen Vogue mash-up for the ages, and this originality definitely paid off for marketing this book to young readers of 2016. Compelling without being too campy, Stampler knows what she wants from the very start and doesn't let a dull moment creep in to ruin the laughs and solidarity feels for every character involved.
What I Disliked: This isn't really a complaint with the book, but I can't stand secondhand embarrassment. It makes me so anxious and uncomfortable! Naturally, there are parts of this book that get VERY awkward, and aren't always handled so well by our leading lady. The relationship between Harper and Ben is also not handled as well...okay, truthfully, I just didn't like him! Just stay friends, please. Trying to force the weird "but maybe..." thing is not working out for you guys. Other bits, especially the dynamic between the Shift manager and Harper, dangerously toe the line of predictable vs understandable - however, at the end of the day, the quirky mishaps and clever character creation (PRINCESS THE PUG, my god what a scene stealer) manages to stand out in an oversaturated field of high school chick lit.
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 key lime pies.
Recommended for: Moms who loved The Devil Wears Prada and young adults who loved Gossip Girl but wish it wasn't so mean.
What I Liked: I'm honestly not big on contemporary fiction, but there are a fair few that really catch my eye and keep me locked in, and this book was one of them. While not necessarily the most #relatable as far as realistic fic goes, the shenanigans that Harper seems to revolve around are charmingly naive one second and cringe-worthy reality checks the next. While I've never worked for a hit teen magazine, I sympathized with the pressure for deadlines and meeting goals that can work their way into becoming an addiction if you do it right enough times. Shift is very much a tongue-in-cheek, Buzzfeed/Teen Vogue mash-up for the ages, and this originality definitely paid off for marketing this book to young readers of 2016. Compelling without being too campy, Stampler knows what she wants from the very start and doesn't let a dull moment creep in to ruin the laughs and solidarity feels for every character involved.
What I Disliked: This isn't really a complaint with the book, but I can't stand secondhand embarrassment. It makes me so anxious and uncomfortable! Naturally, there are parts of this book that get VERY awkward, and aren't always handled so well by our leading lady. The relationship between Harper and Ben is also not handled as well...okay, truthfully, I just didn't like him! Just stay friends, please. Trying to force the weird "but maybe..." thing is not working out for you guys. Other bits, especially the dynamic between the Shift manager and Harper, dangerously toe the line of predictable vs understandable - however, at the end of the day, the quirky mishaps and clever character creation (PRINCESS THE PUG, my god what a scene stealer) manages to stand out in an oversaturated field of high school chick lit.
Overall: 3.5 out of 5 key lime pies.
Recommended for: Moms who loved The Devil Wears Prada and young adults who loved Gossip Girl but wish it wasn't so mean.
bailo2's review
4.0
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Honestly, I don't read a lot of contemporaries. It's not that I have anything against them; I just don't tend to gravitate towards them, so I was entirely sure what to expect when I decided to join the blog tour for this coming-of-age story.
And truth be told, I ended up loving it!
Harper is an aspiring journalist who applies for the high school internship to the number one teen magazine, Shift, in New York. Unexpectedly, she receives a last minute offer to be the summer intern blogger for the Dating column and be the magazine's dating guru. The catch? Harper doesn't know the first thing about boys and dating, having embellished a story in her application essay.
Is the plot a predictable? Definitely. A little ridiculous? Totally. I mean, internships for high schoolers?! C'mon. And the editor of the magazine is absurd and obsessed with sexcapades and juicy dating material, which I am positive would not fly in magazines who's target audience is a bunch of minors.
But I ended up loving it anyway. It was like the teenage version of The Devil Wears Prada, which is a favorite chick flick of mine.
I found Harper to be really relatable: quirky, awkward, smart but socially incompetent. She definitely reminded me of myself as a teenager and young adult. I think a lot of young girls could connect with her, her desires to fit in, and the little white lies people tell to do so. I know I've definitely done it. We all have.
The book had a nice theme and commentary running about how we present ourselves to others and how often truth is fabricated or embellished to fit our narrative and how we want to be perceived. It actually made me quite self conscious of how much I use my social media and use social media, such as Instagram, as self-promotion for this blog and my other professional ventures. The characters are constantly pulling out their phones.
I think what I liked best about it though was just that it made me laugh, in the best of ways. I genuinely laughed out loud throughout the book. My husband kept asking me what was so funny.
It was a refreshing change of pace for me.
This book may not be the most original or freshest in terms of plot, but it's got heart and is a light, entertaining, perfect summer read.
Tootle loo, darlings! Till next time!
Honestly, I don't read a lot of contemporaries. It's not that I have anything against them; I just don't tend to gravitate towards them, so I was entirely sure what to expect when I decided to join the blog tour for this coming-of-age story.
And truth be told, I ended up loving it!
Harper is an aspiring journalist who applies for the high school internship to the number one teen magazine, Shift, in New York. Unexpectedly, she receives a last minute offer to be the summer intern blogger for the Dating column and be the magazine's dating guru. The catch? Harper doesn't know the first thing about boys and dating, having embellished a story in her application essay.
Is the plot a predictable? Definitely. A little ridiculous? Totally. I mean, internships for high schoolers?! C'mon. And the editor of the magazine is absurd and obsessed with sexcapades and juicy dating material, which I am positive would not fly in magazines who's target audience is a bunch of minors.
But I ended up loving it anyway. It was like the teenage version of The Devil Wears Prada, which is a favorite chick flick of mine.
I found Harper to be really relatable: quirky, awkward, smart but socially incompetent. She definitely reminded me of myself as a teenager and young adult. I think a lot of young girls could connect with her, her desires to fit in, and the little white lies people tell to do so. I know I've definitely done it. We all have.
The book had a nice theme and commentary running about how we present ourselves to others and how often truth is fabricated or embellished to fit our narrative and how we want to be perceived. It actually made me quite self conscious of how much I use my social media and use social media, such as Instagram, as self-promotion for this blog and my other professional ventures. The characters are constantly pulling out their phones.
I think what I liked best about it though was just that it made me laugh, in the best of ways. I genuinely laughed out loud throughout the book. My husband kept asking me what was so funny.
It was a refreshing change of pace for me.
This book may not be the most original or freshest in terms of plot, but it's got heart and is a light, entertaining, perfect summer read.
Tootle loo, darlings! Till next time!
anjaliagarwal01's review
4.0
This book was very enjoyable and I loved reading all the articles that Harper, the main character, wrote. I found them quite funny, even though she was always criticized about them.
I do wish the age group was different though. Even though the age didn't make that much of a huge difference, I just wish she was in college instead of high school.
Quick and easy read. It involved a lot of current, trendy social media which was cool.
I do wish the age group was different though. Even though the age didn't make that much of a huge difference, I just wish she was in college instead of high school.
Quick and easy read. It involved a lot of current, trendy social media which was cool.
bushraboblai's review
5.0
I always love it when someone catches a pretentious Nietzsche lover misquoting their object of worship.
kaylareadsbooks's review
5.0
This book had been on my radar for awhile and I never got around to reading it until recently and it was so funny. I loved Harper and her friends that she made.
Harper is the girl with no dating experience who becomes the dating blogger at Shift (think of seventeen meets teen vogue) and has no clue what she’s doing. She messes up big time her first day there and somehow ends up turning it all around. Harper us used to living in the shadow of her best friend, and this is the first time she can be her own person. Harper creates for herself a whole new social life with some of the fiercest girls you will ever meet.
I love how the book is set in Manhattan, which is the city I live in, because this way I was able to really get a picture in my head of where the book was taking place. I also love the friendships Harper develops with the other girls she’s working with, they remind me of a younger version of the girls in The Bold Type on Freeform (which is one of the best shows ever.)
I was so proud of Harper when she turned her sticky situation around, she proved to not only herself but the other writers that she is worth being able to work at this magazine.
The one thing that stuck with me the most was “Shift girls don’t say sorry.” The number one thing my mom yells at me for is saying sorry when I’m not at fault and have nothing to say sorry for. And this is so important, because I find that us women say sorry more times than we need to and we need to fix that.
My biggest problem while reading this book was trying to choose between Carter and Ben. We have all fallen for the Carters of the world, the hot guys who think they are better than everyone when the Bens’ are the ones meant for us. And I have fallen for multiple Carters in my life, but it’s always the Bens that pick up the pieces at the end. But I think at the end, I was Team Ben.
This was a cute and fun contemporary. It’s a perfect summer read. I really recommend getting your hands on a copy or putting it on your TBR.
Harper is the girl with no dating experience who becomes the dating blogger at Shift (think of seventeen meets teen vogue) and has no clue what she’s doing. She messes up big time her first day there and somehow ends up turning it all around. Harper us used to living in the shadow of her best friend, and this is the first time she can be her own person. Harper creates for herself a whole new social life with some of the fiercest girls you will ever meet.
I love how the book is set in Manhattan, which is the city I live in, because this way I was able to really get a picture in my head of where the book was taking place. I also love the friendships Harper develops with the other girls she’s working with, they remind me of a younger version of the girls in The Bold Type on Freeform (which is one of the best shows ever.)
I was so proud of Harper when she turned her sticky situation around, she proved to not only herself but the other writers that she is worth being able to work at this magazine.
The one thing that stuck with me the most was “Shift girls don’t say sorry.” The number one thing my mom yells at me for is saying sorry when I’m not at fault and have nothing to say sorry for. And this is so important, because I find that us women say sorry more times than we need to and we need to fix that.
My biggest problem while reading this book was trying to choose between Carter and Ben. We have all fallen for the Carters of the world, the hot guys who think they are better than everyone when the Bens’ are the ones meant for us. And I have fallen for multiple Carters in my life, but it’s always the Bens that pick up the pieces at the end. But I think at the end, I was Team Ben.
This was a cute and fun contemporary. It’s a perfect summer read. I really recommend getting your hands on a copy or putting it on your TBR.