City Life Books - Page 5

City of Glass (Mortal Instruments)

Cassandra Clare

Amazon Price: $12.23 List Price: $17.99 Not yet published By: Margaret K. McElderry

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Would I Lie to You (Gossip Girl, No. 10)

Cecily von Ziegesar

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Forget diamonds; Cecily von Ziegesar is a girl's best friend! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

Manhattan may be the most glamorous place in the world, filled with shopping, sights, and the finest dining you'll ever experience. But when the summer rolls around, it's nothing more than a sticky, sweltering nightmare that leaves you glistening under an unattractive sheen of sweat, and wearing as little as legally possible. So it's no surprise that when you want to beat the heat, the best place to head is the Hamptons, where the beaches are filled with babes, hot bodies, and bikinis. After all, there's nothing as seductive as a little fun in the sun - rich folk style!

Blair Waldorf is finally in a state of bliss. The debacle involving Lord Marcus is nothing more than a thing of the past. She finally has her frenemy Serena van der Woodsen on her side. And she's snagged a job working as fashion designer Bailey Winter's muse for the summer - alongside Serena - which basically consists of looking fabulous, and lounging around the petite man's sprawling Georgica Pond estate. Sounds simple, but when you're pining over the green-eyed love of your life - Nate Archibald - and trying to contend with a wannabe-Blair Eastern waif named Ibiza, who just do happens to be living under the same roof as you, you can't help but feel angered 24/7. Looks like someone needs to take a chill pill, or spend a little one-on-one time with her American Express card.

Nate Archibald is having the worst summer of his life. After pilfering some of Coach Michaels' forbidden pills, N has been forced to dive headfirst into the unglamorous world of manual labor. Sure, it was fun at first, with a brief flirtation with a Long Island native named Tawny. But now things have gone straight downhill. Nate has finally come to his senses, and knows that Blair is the true love of his life, but has no idea how to win her heart - again. And attempting to escape the uncomfortable advances of Coach Michaels' wife, Babs, is becoming a full-time job of its own, leaving N in a perpetual state of agitation and discomfort. Maybe if you laid off the weed, things would look a little clearer.

Serena van der Woodsen has just wrapped filming on her big screen debut, Breakfast At Fred's, and is looking to finally start her summer. And what better way to party hardy than by tossing on a Missoni swimsuit, and grabbing your best friend - or enemy, depending on what day it is - and heading to the Hamptons. As the blonde-haired muse of Bailey Winter, Serena is confident that this will be the summer of a lifetime. But after a few obnoxious moments with her European clone, Svetlana; and a handful of longing looks in Nate's direction, Serena can't help but feel envious and depressed. I guess that's what happens when you're the birthday girl, and everyone seems to have forgotten that your big day has arrived.

While New York party girl, Jenny Humphrey, is off gallivanting around Prague, sketchbook in tow, Vanessa Abrams has made herself quite comfortable in little J's bedroom. But when her job as a nanny gives her the opportunity to flee the stuffy confines of the city - and Dan Humphrey's cheating heart - Vanessa is convinced that this is her chance to try something new. Too bad she's expected to spend her time chasing around two spoiled mongrels, as opposed to hanging out in the sun. But maybe she'll gain a little insight into the lifestyles of the rich and famous, and create a documentary that will make everyone's jaws drop. Maybe not. Dan, on the other hand, is finally settling into life as a worker at the Strand. But when a new co-worker steps into the picture, as well as the creation of a literary salon, Dan's sexuality is tested, and all bets are off.

As the summer comes to a head, it's obvious that Cecily von Ziegesar is working on winding down the GOSSIP GIRL series, and begin to create a little closure into the lives of some of our favorite characters. Unfortunately, each time we think we're finally satisfied with how things are working out, a new revelation comes about and turns everything upside down. Case in point, Blair's sudden infatuation with Nate. Serena's transformation from happy-go-lucky to depressed all the time. Dan's new thoughts regarding relationships. Vanessa's determination to reconnect with Blair and Serena before each of them heads off to their respective new institutions for higher learning. And Nate's new, mature outlook on...everything. With one more book to go, it looks like we'll all be in for a surprise. Forget diamonds; Cecily von Ziegesar is a girl's best friend!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Editorial Review:

Welcome to New York City's Upper East Side where my friends and I live, and go to school, and play, and sleep - sometimes with each other. We all live in huge apartments with our own bedrooms and bathrooms and phone lines. We're smart, we've inherited classic good looks, we have fantastic clothes, and we know how to party... Continuing the #1 New York Times bestselling series about the provocative lives of New York City's most prestigious private school young adults. Sharp wit, intriguing characters, and high stakes melodrama drive the action of this addictive series that have made Gossip Girl the lit world's coveted "it" girl.

Feathers

Jacqueline Woodson

Amazon Price: $6.99 List Price: $6.99 Not yet published By: Puffin

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Beautiful story 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I finished this yesterday morning--about 36 hours ago--and I've been thinking about it off and on since then. That's rare for me. Usually, I finish one book, then move right on to the next. But this beautiful novel stuck with me.

Frannie is a girl who's lost hope--she lives on the poor side of the highway, she's seen her mama suffer through miscarriages and now she's pregnant again, and she sees the way girls treat her brother when they find out he's deaf. Frannie's teacher reads an Emily Dickinson poem that starts "Hope is the thing with feathers..." to her class, which gets Frannie thinking about hope. Then a boy who looks like Jesus shows up as the new kid at school, and Frannie is forced to grapple with her own understanding of hope, faith, and religion. One of my favorite aspects of the story is how Frannie explores the idea of spirituality versus religion.

This would be a great book to read with your child because of all the interesting conversations you could have about the characters and what they go through.

Editorial Review:

Nobody knows what to make of the new boy in Frannie’s class. Not only does he look different, but he’s kind to everyone, he refuses to fight, and he doesn’t even seem to mind when the other kids nickname him Jesus Boy. But as winter progresses, Frannie realizes that she’s starting to see a whole lot of things in a new light: her brother’s deafness, her mother’s fear, her friend Samantha’s faith, their classmate Trevor’s anger, and her own desire for hope—“the thing with feathers.” And it’s all because of Jesus Boy’s differences . . . and his friendship.

Snow (Sunburst Books)

Uri Shulevitz

Amazon Price: $6.95 List Price: $6.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $2.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 11 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A snowy day 5 out of 5 stars.
9 of 11 people found this review helpful.

By and large, the general rule guiding picture books and the Caldecott awards they garner is that no children's author/illustrator ever wins the Caldecott Award for their best work. This rule generally applies to all awards, I suppose in some way. Oscar winning actors, actresses, and directors never seem to win for their best films either. But the case seems to be even more extreme when it comes to picture books. Let's take author/illustrator extraordinaire Uri Shulevitz as our example. Now review your Caldecott knowledge and tell me what book earned Shulevitz a Caldecott. If you said, "The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship", you are correct. Now, tell me which book Shulevitz both wrote and illustrated which DESERVED the Caldecott Award (not Honor). If you said, "Snow" then you are once more right right right. I recently discovered this charming and thoroughly pleasing little book all on my own and I can tell you here and now that aside from the great "Snowy Day" by Ezra Jack Keats, there is no other book that so skillfully pinpoints the elation a child feels at the first real snowfall of the year.

We're in a village. A village where the clouds hang heavy overhead and the only words on the first page are, "The skies are gray. The rooftops are gray. The whole city is gray". The next two-page spread gives a perfect sense of anticipation. Underneath this mono-colored set of stores and houses are the words, "Then......one snowflake". And if you look very very carefully, there's a single spot of white against the gray swelling watercolor that is the sky. A boy in an orange hat points out the flake with delight, his dog by his side. His grandfather, however, doesn't think snow is possible. Then there are two snowflakes (with a man in a hat pish-pishing the possibility). Then there are three snowflakes and a lady with an umbrella proclaims that they'll simply melt. And they do, it's true. "But as soon as one snowflake melts another takes its place". And in spite of the adults and in spite of the radio and in spite of the television, it begins to snow. The boy frolics with his dog and some imaginary friends. And by the time the snow is done the whole city is white but the sky is a brilliant bright sunny blue hue.

This is a book about hope. How childish belief can overcome adult nay-sayers and jaded remarks. Never mind that after a few months the kid will want to see anything BUT snow. At this point in time, he's trumped the grown-ups of the world. I especially enjoyed the parts of the book that declared that "snowflakes don't listen to radio, snowflakes don't watch television". What snowflakes do is fall. Shulevitz spares his words for the moments when they are most needed. When they do come, they are brisk and to the point. His boy and dog, on the other hand, are playful and exuberant. This book in some ways resembles nothing so much as a Maurice Sendak story. The frolicking child character is especially Sendakian, it now occurs to me. Still, these illustrations are far more subtle and restrained than most other picture books. The snowflakes, when they appear, are so tiny and insignificant that it takes a quick eye to spot them. The watercolors are lovely muted tones and the characters (at least the adults) are people with exaggerated gravity, quickly becoming ridiculous when they find themselves caught out in an "unexpected" snowfall.

You can tell readily if some books will be lovely deeply and dearly by children for years to come. This is one such of a kind. It's bound to be beloved by millions for decades and decades. A wonderful discovery

Editorial Review:

A Caldecott Honor Book

"It's snowing, said boy with dog.
"It's only a snowflake," said grandfather with beard.

No one thinks one or two snowflakes will amount to anything. Not the man with the hat or the lady with the umbrella. Not even the television or the radio forecasters. But one boy and his dog have faith that the snow will amount to something spectacular, and when flakes start to swirl down on the city, they are also the only ones who know how to truly enjoy it. This playful depiction of a snowy day and the transformation of a city is perfectly captured in simple, poetic text and lively watercolor and pen-and-ink illustrations.

Unforgettable (It Girl Novel #4)

Cecily Von Ziegesar

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

The New York Times bestselling spin-off series to the #1 bestselling Gossip Girl is set in an elite East Coast boarding school and features favorite Gossip Girl character Jenny Humphrey.

Having a roommate at elite Waverly Academy means nightly sleepovers and double the designer wardrobe. But Callie Vernon never really liked late-night girl talk or swapping cashmere sweaters with her younger, rosy-cheeked roomie, Jenny Humphrey. So when Jenny stole her longtime boyfriend, Easy Walsh, Callie didn?t feel that guilty about turning right around and kissing him behind Jenny?s back. Okay, maybe a little guilty, but it certainly didn?t stop her from enjoying it. Now, if only Easy would stop being so irritatingly indecisive and dump Jenny already!

While the two roommates are sharing a boyfriend, the rest of Dumbarton?s residents are sharing their feelings at the newly founded Women of Waverly club?aka, WOW! Everyone is totally bonding, revealing their most personal secrets, and hugging out their past rivalries. But despite the sharing-is-caring vibe, there are some things these girls aren?t spilling?like who?s making special late-night trips to the crater . . . and with whom.

Now it?s only a matter of time before all the newfound girl power explodes into a massive girl fight. But this battle goes well beyond the ivy colored brick walls of Dumberton?it?s about who will be Waverly?s next It Girl.

Gossip Girl, The Carlyles #1 (Gossip Girl)

Cecily von Ziegesar

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 15 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Pretty Good Start 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Avery, Baby, and Owen Carlyle moves into Blair Waldorf's old place on the Upper East Side. Avery immediately wants to be a teen socialite, Owen is desperate to find the girl he fell for the summer before who lives in NY as well and Baby just wants to go home to Nantucket. As they all quickly find out what they want isn't easy. Avery's makes enemies with the wrong girl in school: popular girl Jack Laurent. Owen quickly finds out that the girl he wanted is the girlfriend of his only friend Rhys Sterling and Baby tries to get herself in trouble so she can be expelled and go home.
It's a good start to a new series and a lot of people are going to make the mistake of comparing the Carlyles and the other characters to the old characters of the now retired original series but you have to see it in a different light as a different series which is what it is. There is very little mention of the old characters in the blog and readers will have to know that the B in the book isn't Blair and the J isn't Jenny. Unlike in The It Girl, the characters aren't cookie cutters of the ones in the original Gossip Girl series. Although this book is mainly about the triplets, the character that makes the book interesting is Jack, who is supposed to be the Blair (or queen bee) of this series although if you ask me she's more like Cammie from the A-List. Jack stands out in the series and I can't wait to see what she does next since I know she wants revenge on the Carlyle girls after what happens at the end. So far none of the guys work for me. Just like with the original series there are only two main ones: Owen and Rhys and one supporting one, J.P. (Jack's boyfriend) whose point of view we don't get to read. Owen is a little too egotistical about his looks and Rhys is too sensitive after his breakup with Kelsey who isn't worth it anyway but there has only been one book so hopefully they will improve throughout the series. I hope the series doesn't get stale and boring like The It Girl did after the first three books, though.
Grade: B+

Editorial Review:

Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen were the reigning princesses of the Upper East Side.

Until now.

In Gossip Girl, The Carlyles the inimitable Gossip Girl introduces the most fabulous sixteen year-old triplets to ever inhabit the Upper East Side. When the Waldorfs move from their apartment at the end of Don't You Forget About Me, the Carlyle triplets of Nantucket, Massachusetts--Owen, Baby, and Peyton-- move in. In the new titles of the Gossip Girl series, we will follow the Carlyles, plus three other teenagers living in gorgeous apartments, attending the most exclusive prvate schools-- the familiar Constance Billard School for Girls and St. Jude's School for Boys-- and treating New York's Upper East Side as their personal playground. Welcome to the new era.

Lucky for you, Gossip Girl is there to whisper all their juicy secrets...

Hot Dog (Step Into Reading - Level 1 - Paperback)

Molly Coxe

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Fun Story 5 out of 5 stars.
7 of 7 people found this review helpful.

I am a Pre-Kindergarten teacher and I introduced this story to my class on the first day of school after we get in from the playground. They love it and relate to the hot little dog in the story.

This book is ideal for a child and an adult to sit and read together. It has predictable and easy words and the kids have fun watching the dog do anything to cool off on a hot day.

When I read it to the class, they enjoy it so much they take it from storytime and read it themselves. This is the kind of book that inspires young people to have a love for reading. They realize that reading is fun and can be easy too. This book was favorite from the first day.

Editorial Review:

Mile 1 books entice brand-new readers with rhyme, rhythm, and repetition. The type is big, the words are easy, and the art is bright and bold., , Poor Dog. He's awfully hot! But Mom won't share her lemonade. Cat won't share his shady spot on the porch. And Skunk's making a real stink about sharing his hollow log. What does a hot Dog have to do to get cool?

Gossip Girl #2: You Know You Love Me: A Gossip Girl Novel (Gossip Girl)

Cecily von Ziegesar

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 89 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

B, N S, D & J are back and up to no good! 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

In the second installment of the Gossip Girl series our favorite spoiled brats are back and at it again, and this time they are trying to get into college. As if the stress of college applications and interviews wasn't enough for Blair, she now also has to deal with the wedding of the year...her mother's (complete with cute but annoying step-brother and all) and the gnawing feeling something between her and Nate just isn't right. Poor Blair.
Serena on the other hand is just as happy go lucky as ever, however, her newfound relationship with Dan appears to be on the rocks already...ah well; there are more fish in the sea!
Lastly there seems to be a new girl catching Nate's eye and you will never guess who it is! You'll have to read to find out.

While I found the first Gossip Girl book to be mildly entertaining, `YOU KNOW YOU LOVE ME' hooked me! I will definitely spend my summer trying to play catch up before the Gossip Girl series airs on the CW this fall! Fun read for teen's and adult's (who like a little scandal) alike!

Editorial Review:

lder teens and adult readers can't get enough of Gossip Girl, the anonymous narrator who made her catty debut in the bestselling Gossip Girl and titillated readers in the juicy sequel, You Know You Love Me. Now in All I Want Is Everything, readers will love her even more as Gossip Girl dishes up dose after hefty dose of dirt on all her friends-New York's wealthiest private school teens. Sharp wit, intriguing characters, and high-stakes melodrama drive the action of this wildly popular new series.

Lyle Lyle Crocodile

Bernard Waber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 13 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

great book! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I just purchased this title for my 4 year old daughter, and she (and I) really love it!!! The title of the book doesn't really grab you but it's a sweet story about how the neighbor Mr Grumps really doesn't like Lyle, has him banished to the zoo, and then Lyle ends up saving Mr Grumps. I really like the characters in this series because they remind me of real life people that your kids will have to deal with at some point or another. My daughter was totally engaged.

A Book to Remember 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I am now 21 years old and I can still remember the opening line to this tape. The Lyle books are wonderful for children and this tape is a great way to put your child to sleep. The Lyle books are truly one of my greatest childhood memories!

i love lyle 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

these are the best books - charming in story and illustration - im so glad to be able to share them with my child!

Why do people love this book?? 1 out of 5 stars.
0 of 3 people found this review helpful.

I don't get it. My three-and-a-half-year-old son doesn't like it. It lacks the sweetness and focus of "Corduroy" or "The Snowy Day." It changes scene too often (and not in a good way, like Harold and the Purple Crayon). And the characters are unkind to each other until the very end. I bought this book based on good reviews, but without having read it myself. My mistake. I think this is not a great book for little kids to read, and I won't read it again with my son. Very disappointing.

Editorial Review:

A cranky neighbor puts Lyle in the zoo but experiences a change of heart when the crocodile saves him from a fire.

Gossip Girl: The Third Collection (Gossip Girl)

Cecily Von Ziegesar

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Gossip Girl Collection 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I was glad to be able to find the collection. It made it easier than shopping for each individual book. I will be buying the addition books the same way.

Fun, frivolous, and fabulous - just what the doctor ordered! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

At the beginning of high school, it's hard to imagine anything but graduating, and being able to be your own person, away from cliques, parents, and strict teachers who truly cramp your style. At the end of high school, however, those are the three things you crave. Especially when you're a Park Avenue Princess - or Prince - and the thought of change does nothing but make you break out in hives. But, as they say, all good things must come to an end.

Book # 7: NOBODY DOES IT BETTER - Everything is finally falling into place for Blair Waldorf. She and Nate Archibald are back together, and she has finally handed her V card over to him. Her mother gave birth to her little baby sister, Yale; and, much to her surprise, she absolutely adores the tiny tyke, and is shaping up to be the best big sister the Upper East Side has ever seen. The only thing that has her baffled and in a perpetual state of anger is the fact that she has been wait-listed at Yale. Even worse, both Nate and Blair's best frienemy, Serena van der Woodsen snagged spots at the Ivy league she wishes to call home, making her wonder whether two of the most important people in her life will leave her behind.

Though Serena van der Woodsen has a B+ average, somehow she got accepted to all of the Ivies - Yale, Harvard, and Brown, just to name a few. Now comes the hard part. Serena never realized that she was actually into the whole college thing, but now that she's begun to think about the future, she's convinced that this is a huge decision on her part. The only problem is that she's leaning towards Yale, and, knowing that Yale is Blair's number one choice school, Serena knows that Blair will wring her neck if she accepts the spot. Time to make a tough decision - her best friend, or her future.

Nate Archibald is up to his old tricks again, smoking weed to his hearts content. The only difference is that he and Blair are finally back together, and he's convinced that the two of them will be together forever. But now that Blair has been wait-listed at Yale, he wonders if everything will work out the way he has always hoped. Maybe if he could keep his lungs clear for more than a minute or two, he'd be able to reassure Blair that the two of them will never be separated, and that she'll definitely be accepted by Yale. Too bad he's so dependent on his little marijuana friend.

Vanessa Abrams thought that things were finally back to normal between her and her morbid poet boyfriend, Dan Humphrey. The two were living together in Williamsburg, soaking up the pleasures of being a happy couple. But after an out-of-control party, and an unexpected houseguest, the two bid adieu to one another; Vanessa being left by her lonesome, and Dan being recruited as the singer/songwriter for the band The Raves. Now it's Dan's little sister, Jenny's time to misbehave. Jenny Humphrey has always been the good girl, doing what she was told, and acting demurely. But after developing a fascination with boarding school, Jenny has decided to indulge in a little debauchery of her own. Suddenly, she's partying all weekend with college-aged rockers, breaking Constance Billard's dress code, and even modeling in big-time fashion spreads alongside Serena. If Jenny's not careful, she may just end up elsewhere next year. But maybe that's what the pint-sized vixen is hoping for. 5 stars.


Book # 8: Blair Waldorf finally has everything she's ever dreamed of. She has moved off of the wait-list at Yale, and is finally a full-fledged incoming freshman. She has her best friend, Serena van der Woodsen, in her good graces. And Nate Archibald is finally hers - forever. Or so she thinks. When she catches Nate and Serena in a compromising position during the Senior Class Trip, Blair knows that it's time to write off best friends and boyfriends. But when she meets the handsome Brit, Lord Marcus Beaton-Rhodes at the Yale Club - her new abode - all bets are off.

Everything has always come easy to Serena van der Woodsen. Without trying, she managed to snag a spot at all of the Ivy leagues, steal her frenemy, Blair Waldorf's boyfriend, and become nominated for Senior Speaker for her upcoming graduation. Unfortunately, the only thing Serena truly wants is to be back with her buddy. But when a starring role in Ken Mogul's upcoming film "Breakfast At Fred's" opens up, Serena knows that she just has to try out for the coveted part - even if it means angering Blair even more. After all, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do. And when it comes to acting, Serena's got it in the bag.

Nate Archibald has been torn between Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen since the day he met them. I guess that's what happens when your best friends with two of the most gorgeous girls on the planet. When Blair stops talking to him due to his little indiscretion with Serena, he decides to give a relationship with S a chance. But maybe the two of them aren't cut-out for a full-on relationship. If Nate's tears, and his new dependency on the little pills he snagged from his Coach's desk are any indication, it might seem as if Nate actually has true feelings for the high-maintenance Blair. Lets just hope that he manages to graduate, or else he'll never have a chance of getting her back when they're both Yalies.

Little Jenny Humphrey has always been the star student. But after a few little incidents during her time at Constance Billard, she has been told that she'll have to pack her bags, and make different arrangements for her sophomore year. That's not a problem for Jenny. She has always wanted to go to boarding school, and now is her chance to choose the perfect one for herself. Everyone beware, she's on the loose. After ditching Vanessa Abrams for a shot at rock stardom, Dan Humphrey has found himself holed up with his notebook even more often than usual, pining away for the alternative chick he knows and loves. But, alas, Vanessa is in the arms of another man - Blair's stepbrother Aaron. Aaron, however, isn't necessarily the guy Vanessa is searching for. Maybe, with a little luck, she'll go crawling back to Dan - again. 5 stars.


Book # 9: ONLY IN YOUR DREAMS - Since meeting Lord Marcus, Blair Waldorf has been on cloud nine. Not only does he have the most charming British accent, but he makes the gorgeous Nate Archibald look pale in comparison, and, as an added bonus, he has invited Blair to spend the summer abroad with him in England. Blair just knows that this is it. Marcus will propose to her, and the two of them will ride off into the sunset. But Marcus is totally different in England. In fact, if Blair didn't have her American Express card in tow, she may have actually been lonely as he basically abandoned her to cavort with his horse-faced cousin. It's enough to make her long for her friends and family in New York.

While Serena van der Woodsen is heartbroken that her frenemy Blair Waldorf is vacationing abroad, she can't help but be relieved in the wake of her absence, for it gives her more time to concentrate on nailing the role she just landed as Holly in Ken Mogul's Breakfast At Fred's - a remake of Breakfast At Tiffany's. While Serena is being hailed as a young ingenue, she can't seem to get it right when it comes to being Holly. And the fact that she's been cast opposite uber-hottie Thaddeus Smith. Serena wants more than anything to do well in the first role of her life, but Thad has a way of making her forget her lines, and fumble in more ways than one.

Nate Archibald has finally written off girls. After botched relationships with both Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen, he is convinced that this is his summer to be free from females, and to get his head on straight. Besides, he needs to reserve enough energy for fixing up his Coach's house, so that he can finally receive his diploma. But when he meets a Hamptons townie named Tawny, Nate's reservations about females are thrown out the window. Suddenly, he can't think about anything other than hanging with the fake-baked Tawny, and smoking joint after joint. Looks like someone's summertime resolutions have, once again, been cast to the wind.

After a torrid love affair with one another, Dan Humphrey and Vanessa Abrams are finally back together - but not for long. Working at the Strand, Dan meets a yoga-loving hottie, and finds himself drawn into her wacky world, leaving Vanessa in the dust. And Vanessa, working on Ken Mogul's new film Breakfast At Fred's is forced to succumb to harsh criticism that is undeniably undeserved. The only one having fun seems to be little Jenny Humphrey who is completely out of the picture. After receiving her acceptance letter to the exclusive Waverly Academy, Jenny headed off to Amsterdam to spend her summer enjoying the art of the European countryside. Now the only question that remains is whether or not we'll be seeing this pint-sized Picasso again. 5 stars.

The two previous boxed collections held six of the most engrossing teen tales on bookshelves, and the third collection does the same. Books seven, eight, and nine mark an amazing time for our favorite Upper East Side pals. Besides waiting to hear from colleges who will either accept or decline you, we accompany these characters - who have grown to be much like close friends - as they tread the uneasy waters of going all the way, holding back, experimenting with new lifestyles, and even trying their hand at new professions - such as acting and modeling. Through it all, Gossip Girl keeps us up-to-date on everything taking place, and provides us with the lowdown on everyone - whether they're in town, or out of the country. If you've read the rest, it's time to read the best. Fun, frivolous, and fabulous - just what the doctor ordered!

Erika Sorocco
Freelance Reviewer

Editorial Review:

A third Gossip Girl boxed set of three books (Gossip Girl #7: Nobody Does It Better, Gossip Girl #8: Nothing Can Keep Us Together, Gossip Girl #9: Only In Your Dreams) in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.