Reviews

The Carrie Diaries - Carries Leben vor Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

flowerhatprincess's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Unlike most people I haven't even seen the show sex and the city. Infact i'm only 14 (i really only enjoy books way above my grade...) and until today i thought sex and the city was a "sexy" movie... lol.

This book in my opinion was great, i mean me, a PICKY ready read it that means something, trust me. and most of the one stars in here sound like they're just mad that it wasn't just like the show, well of course not.

Its a really plot twisting surprising story, i found it a really good read, and i loved the first sentence, cover, and the authors name was not bigger than the title (i hate when they do that i always think, who do they think they are like seriously). but anyway just check it out and i promise the story gets better as it goes. :)

lilbunny_87's review against another edition

Go to review page

5.0

Fantastic! I could not put this book down. A must-read for Sex and the City fans.

chelsayoder's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

Cute, easy read. I am not sure I'd give it 3 stars if it wasn't for the "Carrie" factor. But I am going to try another Busnell book next to see if it's just the youth factor that wasn't for me.

book_nerd_bri23's review against another edition

Go to review page

adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Although I thought I had sworn off YA works, this one was a delight for fans of Sex and the City or anyone who remembers the horrors that were past high school years. The girl drama, the boy drama and the power of cliches is all experienced through the eyes of Carrie Bradshaw before she took NYC by storm. 
Carrie is an aspiring writer, confined her small northeastern hometown. She encircles herself with best friends, swim meets and family drama. When she first applies to a writing summer program, and is initially rejected, she finds herself looking for the true meaning of life. As if that was not bad enough, she falls in love with the hot  new guy at school who ends up disrupting her friendship with one of her oldest friends. 
Carrie, even at such a young age, in true Carrie fashion, turns her experiences into an adventure all while documenting everything through the school news paper. 
Enlightening and uplifting, this is a true tale of following one’s dreams no matter the pitfalls along the way. As I said before, this is perfect for fans of the hit HBO series and anyone that wants a reprieve from normal life. Give it a try if you are looking for something reminiscent of the high school days we were so in a hurry to leave behind.  

whendevreads's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

** Actual rating is 4.5 stars **

Ever since Elvis hit the theaters, I have been seeing Austin Butler’s face everywhere. And don’t get me wrong, I am NOT complaining about that. But, seeing his face reminds me of one thing & one thing only: The Carrie Diaries. AKA the Sex and the City prequel. I will never forget when the Carrie Diaries came out, I believe I was in middle school. I used to watch it on some sketchy website every week the day after a new episode came out. And seeing Austin Butler everywhere led to me having the most insane urge to rewatch the Carrie Diaries. A series that I didn’t know was originally a book until about a year or two ago, when I found it at a Half Price Books for $3.00. It just sat on my shelf collecting dust. Until now. I told myself I could only rewatch The Carrie Diaries after I read the book… and here we are.

Coming from watching the tv show first, there are many things that are different in the book. For one, it totally makes sense that the book focuses on Carrie as a writer (like she is in Sex and the City)— from what I can remember, the tv show had the entire fashion industry subplot that conflicted with her work at a law office. It is much, much less complicated in the book, which I was immensely grateful for. As well, there are a few differences in characters. For one, Larissa does not exist in the book, unless she comes in book 2. She is such a great part of the tv show that I was sad she didn’t exist in the book. The amount of cigarettes smoked in the book is staggering. I know it’s set in the 80s but damn… is that what it was like back then?????

The main difference between the book and the tv show, in my opinion, is how I feel about one character: Sebastian Kydd. Now, it’s been probably 5 years since I watched the Carrie Diaries. However, the number one thing I remember is how much I loved Sebastian Kydd (and Austin Butler for playing him). I loved Sebastian and Carrie together, he was such a dreamy character, and we all know what Austin’s voice sounds like… swoon. However, the book made me dislike Sebastian! I was absolutely shocked & am trying to keep the two versions of him separate. Book Sebastian is so bad… he’s insensitive, gaslights Carrie, and he cheats on her with her best friend and feels absolutely no remorse doing so. I have to say, Carrie is a better person than me, because if my best friend and my boyfriend did that to me… I would probably commit murder.

Overall, I am glad that I watched the show before reading the book. That is pretty rare for me, but it’s so much easier for me to start out liking Sebastian and then see the bad version of him in the book. I think, if I had read the book first, even Austin Butler wouldn’t have redeemed him.

I am so glad I chose to read this book. It is a cute 80s story about one of the most iconic female characters in television: Miss Carrie Bradshaw. I just wish I liked Sex and the City as much as I like this teenage version of her. I was recently a teen, which is maybe why I relate to the teenage version of Carrie more than adult Carrie. I am so excited to rewatch the show, and maybe I will eventually branch out into rewatching Sex and the City.

ananya2112's review against another edition

Go to review page

1.0

And it was another worst read of 2014

reader4evr's review against another edition

Go to review page

4.0

This was definately a fun read. The ending was great (didn't put 2 and 2 together with who Donna's crazy frined/aunt/cousin was). Didn't know there is going to be a sequel.

I have never read anything by Candace Bushnell but I love the Sex and the City series/movie (didn't like the 2nd one).

letsbebookfriends's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

I was excited to see what the infamous Carrie Bradshaw was like in high school. However I was met with disappointment. I did not like any of the relationships in this book. The romances and even some of the friendships. Actually, the only thing I can say that I did like about this book was Carrie's development into a writer, and her growth into young woman from a bratty teenager.

byp's review against another edition

Go to review page

3.0

This took me longer to get into (100 pages), than a YA book should, and part of that is due to some very corny feminism. But overall, I liked it in a trashy, 80s way.

alli_thebookgiraffe's review against another edition

Go to review page

2.0

this book was rather boring.