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hereisenough's review against another edition
5.0
love this book so much :) awesome addition to the MDBC series!!
burstnwithbooks's review against another edition
5.0
Five stars as usual for this series... and I really loved the plot for this one!
ericadeb's review against another edition
3.0
Really good, but I don't understand why the author chose to end the series here and not when the girls went off to college. I guess there were enough changes that the plowing year will be totally different so maybe it is a good place to stop, but I feel a little bit left hanging.
Also, holy moly did this book have some errors. Needed some serious help in the editing department!
Also, holy moly did this book have some errors. Needed some serious help in the editing department!
brinkley's review
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
fast-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
4.5
mariaburns's review against another edition
4.0
Yup. Read it SO FAST that I didn't even add it to my currently reading shelf. That's right!
It's the last one! Gasp. Now what do I do? Well, I thought it was a great conclusion to the series. The characters have been developed a lot and very well. The problems and solutions have gone from "that-just-doesn't-happen-in-real-life" to "that-is-believe able-and-mature," which I'm happy about. The first one or two were a little come on not everyone is friends with everyone! But as a series it has really evolved and it was very enjoyable to follow along as that happened.
Overall: Just my happy chick flick-ish book for last weekend :) (that made me want to go to / live in Paris aaaaaall over again)
It's the last one! Gasp. Now what do I do? Well, I thought it was a great conclusion to the series. The characters have been developed a lot and very well. The problems and solutions have gone from "that-just-doesn't-happen-in-real-life" to "that-is-believe able-and-mature," which I'm happy about. The first one or two were a little come on not everyone is friends with everyone! But as a series it has really evolved and it was very enjoyable to follow along as that happened.
Overall: Just my happy chick flick-ish book for last weekend :) (that made me want to go to / live in Paris aaaaaall over again)
ikuo1000's review against another edition
2.0
I like these books overall, and I really have enjoyed reading this series. But, there was one thing in this book that really turned me off.
In every book of the series, the author consistently praises every single book mentioned and puts on a pedestal every author. In this book, even Cassidy, the reluctant reader, loves Jane Eyre. But, for some unknown reason, the author totally pans The Scarlet Letter. She could have simply not even mentioned The Scarlet Letter, but she seems to have gone out of her way to discredit it. Not a single character likes it - not the daughters, not the mothers, and not even any of their counterparts in Wyoming. What's the deal?! What does the author have against The Scarlet Letter? Both Jane Eyre and The Scarlet Letter were required reading in my high school days, and as I recall, neither was especially well-received, but The Scarlet Letter was probably the less unpopular of the two simply because it had an edginess to it. Does the author object to the fact that rather than the more innocent variety of romance as seen in other book club books, The Scarlet Letter deals with the more mature topic of adultery? Was the author trying to make some kind of morality statement?! Hester Prynne may not be as proper as the other female heroines the club has met, but she is certainly a strong character - something I would think the book club members would appreciate! The Scarlett Letter is even oftentimes considered an early feminist piece, certainly worthy reading for modern young women and appropriate content for students studying classic American literature, despite the author's grievance. I seriously wondered why the author would so uncharacteristically reject such an important piece of writing - and then I realized that all other book club books were written by women! Does the author have something against male writers in general, or against Nathaniel Hawthorne in particular? Whatever. I think her blanket disdain for The Scarlet Letter was unfair - the characters never even tried to justify their dislike of the book - and out of place for a series that not only celebrates literature in general but specifically focuses on strong women in literature. For a series that is supposed to encourage young readers to discover strong female characters in literature, the author really does a disservice by turning her young audience off from The Scarlet Letter.
Okay, rant over. Now about the book itself...
After six books with variations on the same themes, I think I just got tired of the Mother-Daughter Book Club formula. Once again, the first adjective that comes to mind in describing this book is "over-the-top". I could accept a circle of friends that included a former supermodel, a former soap opera star, and a millionaire software entrepreneur. But now we have a group of high school sophomores that include a professional fashion designer, a published author and mayoral campaign manager, a nationally competitive singer, and a player on the nation's top girls hockey team!? Who would have thought that in the end, the most relatable and down-to-earth character would be Becca Chadwick?!
Once again, one of the primary conflicts stems from a new girl in town with whom the girls do not get along. Once again, the girls deal with their social frustrations by engaging in a mean-spirited prank. It's lame that the girls in this series pine for kisses from their boyfriends and wonder what their boyfriends are up to instead of just initiating kisses themselves and simply talking to their boyfriends. It's lame that the girls think second cousins have no right to be friends (re: Simon and Sophie), even though it's already been established that Annabelle and Tristan have a close relationship.
I have to admit, though, I liked the way the book ended with Megan's sentimental round-up of Mother-Daughter Book Club moments. Despite all that I've complained about above, I think the book - and presumably the series - ended on a high note. There is a sense of finality at the end of this book, though I had originally expected the series to take the girls all the way through senior year in high school. But like I said, I think all the familiar themes have been exhausted, so if this is the last book in the series, that's just fine with me.
In every book of the series, the author consistently praises every single book mentioned and puts on a pedestal every author. In this book, even Cassidy, the reluctant reader, loves Jane Eyre. But, for some unknown reason, the author totally pans The Scarlet Letter. She could have simply not even mentioned The Scarlet Letter, but she seems to have gone out of her way to discredit it. Not a single character likes it - not the daughters, not the mothers, and not even any of their counterparts in Wyoming. What's the deal?! What does the author have against The Scarlet Letter? Both Jane Eyre and The Scarlet Letter were required reading in my high school days, and as I recall, neither was especially well-received, but The Scarlet Letter was probably the less unpopular of the two simply because it had an edginess to it. Does the author object to the fact that rather than the more innocent variety of romance as seen in other book club books, The Scarlet Letter deals with the more mature topic of adultery? Was the author trying to make some kind of morality statement?! Hester Prynne may not be as proper as the other female heroines the club has met, but she is certainly a strong character - something I would think the book club members would appreciate! The Scarlett Letter is even oftentimes considered an early feminist piece, certainly worthy reading for modern young women and appropriate content for students studying classic American literature, despite the author's grievance. I seriously wondered why the author would so uncharacteristically reject such an important piece of writing - and then I realized that all other book club books were written by women! Does the author have something against male writers in general, or against Nathaniel Hawthorne in particular? Whatever. I think her blanket disdain for The Scarlet Letter was unfair - the characters never even tried to justify their dislike of the book - and out of place for a series that not only celebrates literature in general but specifically focuses on strong women in literature. For a series that is supposed to encourage young readers to discover strong female characters in literature, the author really does a disservice by turning her young audience off from The Scarlet Letter.
Okay, rant over. Now about the book itself...
After six books with variations on the same themes, I think I just got tired of the Mother-Daughter Book Club formula. Once again, the first adjective that comes to mind in describing this book is "over-the-top". I could accept a circle of friends that included a former supermodel, a former soap opera star, and a millionaire software entrepreneur. But now we have a group of high school sophomores that include a professional fashion designer, a published author and mayoral campaign manager, a nationally competitive singer, and a player on the nation's top girls hockey team!? Who would have thought that in the end, the most relatable and down-to-earth character would be Becca Chadwick?!
Once again, one of the primary conflicts stems from a new girl in town with whom the girls do not get along. Once again, the girls deal with their social frustrations by engaging in a mean-spirited prank. It's lame that the girls in this series pine for kisses from their boyfriends and wonder what their boyfriends are up to instead of just initiating kisses themselves and simply talking to their boyfriends. It's lame that the girls think second cousins have no right to be friends (re: Simon and Sophie), even though it's already been established that Annabelle and Tristan have a close relationship.
I have to admit, though, I liked the way the book ended with Megan's sentimental round-up of Mother-Daughter Book Club moments. Despite all that I've complained about above, I think the book - and presumably the series - ended on a high note. There is a sense of finality at the end of this book, though I had originally expected the series to take the girls all the way through senior year in high school. But like I said, I think all the familiar themes have been exhausted, so if this is the last book in the series, that's just fine with me.
kecad's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
fast-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
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
I am so sad that this is the end to the fantastic Mother-Daughter Blook Club series! It does tie it up very neatly at the end, I was just sad to say good-bye to these girls! In this volume, the book club is reading Jane Eyre and throughout the girls are practicing having a backbone like Jane. Without giving too much away, Mrs. Wong runs for Mayor with the help of Emma and Stewart. Megan goes on a Spring Break trip to Paris with Gigi. The Wyoming pen-pals come to visit. And there is a French foreign exchange student to stir up everything. Highly recommended for fans of the series. But please, read the whole series in order! You won't appreciate this one if you don't know what they have been through!