Average customer rating:
- Good but DEPRESSING!
- An amazing first novel
- Wonderful story about a boy we would all love
- Heartwarming
- Best of the genre since Go Ask Alice
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Stephen Chbosky
Manufacturer: MTV
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ASIN: 0671027344 |
Amazon.com
What is most notable about this funny, touching, memorable first novel from Stephen Chbosky is the resounding accuracy with which the author captures the voice of a boy teetering on the brink of adulthood. Charlie is a freshman. And while's he's not the biggest geek in the school, he is by no means popular. He's a wallflower--shy and introspective, and intelligent beyond his years, if not very savvy in the social arts. We learn about Charlie through the letters he writes to someone of undisclosed name, age, and gender, a stylistic technique that adds to the heart-wrenching earnestness saturating this teen's story. Charlie encounters the same struggles that many kids face in high school--how to make friends, the intensity of a crush, family tensions, a first relationship, exploring sexuality, experimenting with drugs--but he must also deal with his best friend's recent suicide. Charlie's letters take on the intimate feel of a journal as he shares his day-to-day thoughts and feelings:
I walk around the school hallways and look at the people. I look at the teachers and wonder why they're here. If they like their jobs. Or us. And I wonder how smart they were when they were fifteen. Not in a mean way. In a curious way. It's like looking at all the students and wondering who's had their heart broken that day, and how they are able to cope with having three quizzes and a book report due on top of that. Or wondering who did the heart breaking. And wondering why.
With the help of a teacher who recognizes his wisdom and intuition, and his two friends, seniors Samantha and Patrick, Charlie mostly manages to avoid the depression he feels creeping up like kudzu. When it all becomes too much, after a shocking realization about his beloved late Aunt Helen, Charlie retreats from reality for awhile. But he makes it back in due time, ready to face his sophomore year and all that it may bring. Charlie, sincerely searching for that feeling of "being infinite," is a kindred spirit to the generation that's been slapped with the label X. --Brangien Davis
Book Description
Standing on the fringes of life...
offers a unique perspective. But there comes a time to see what it looks like from the dance floor.
This haunting novel about the dilemma of passivity vs. passion marks the stunning debut of a provocative new voice in contemporary fiction: The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
This is the story of what it's like to grow up in high school. More intimate than a diary, Charlie's letters are singular and unique, hilarious and devastating. We may not know where he lives. We may not know to whom he is writing. All we know is the world he shares. Caught between trying to live his life and trying to run from it puts him on a strange course through uncharted territory. The world of first dates and mixed tapes, family dramas and new friends. The world of sex, drugs, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show, when all one requires is that perfect song on that perfect drive to feel infinite.
Through Charlie, Stephen Chbosky has created a deeply affecting coming-of-age story, a powerful novel that will spirit you back to those wild and poignant roller coaster days known as growing up.
Customer Reviews:
Good but DEPRESSING!.......2007-09-21
I had to read this for school and let me just say, you will probably feel pretty depressed at the end of this book. The whole book has this cloud of dead always surrounding it. Another than that, it's a pretty good book. It's got alost of teen issues and sexual things in it, so I really wouldn't recommend it to anyone under the age of 14 or 15.
An amazing first novel.......2007-09-01
I had heard of "The Perks Of Being A Wallflower" for a long time from people on the internet. I had also seen it awhile and I eventually decided to buy it on Amazon to read it.
When it came in I didn't expect much of it. It was a small book and the whole story was a bunch of letters. Or at least that was my first impression.
After reading it, I've officially stated it as my favorite book. Although it was a first novel from Stephen Chbosky, I must say he truely did an amazing job writing it. It was so easy for me to relate to the main character Charlie. And all of the other characters seemed so real. I read it in two sittings. I won't give the plot because plenty of other reveiwers have posted it.
But I will tell you that after reading it my look on life was completely changed. If you ever have read it or will read it, you will understand what I mean.
Just so you know if you're considering to buy it, this is coming from a thirteen year old. And although I may be young, I can still tell you quite honestly that I highly recomend buying no matter your age. Some of the topics included though may not be sutible for a younger audience.
Wonderful story about a boy we would all love.......2007-08-30
Chbosky has revealed a great deal about youth and their problems, and does so sensitively and with empathy. You have to read it closely because he weaves his facts into the story so subtly that you might miss them.
Heartwarming.......2007-08-25
For some reason I decided to check out the audio book for a mild distraction. As a woman in her 30's, I was moved how the author did a wonderful job capturing the feelings of lonliness, anger, happiness, despair and the basic need of being love and loving others that most of us experience.
In my opinion, it almost takes someone with some life experiences to really see just how fragile we can be, whether it was yesterday or almost twenty years ago.
Best of the genre since Go Ask Alice.......2007-08-24
I wish I'd discovered "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" when I was still in high school. The main character is stunningly real and gives an authentic literary voice for millions of young adults. He goes through typical youthful indiscretions without the gloss of so many other stories featuring teens. Its short enough to finish in one read and powerful for readers of all ages.
Book Description
After spending three London seasons searching for a husband, Daisy Bowman's father has told her in no uncertain terms that she must find a husband. Now. And if Daisy can't snare an appropriate suitor, she will marry the man he chooses—the ruthless and aloof Matthew Swift.
Daisy is horrified. A Bowman never admits defeat, and she decides to do whatever it takes to marry someone . . . anyone . . . other than Matthew. But she doesn't count on Matthew's unexpected charm . . . or the blazing sensuality that soon flares beyond both their control. And Daisy discovers that the man she has always hated just might turn out to be the man of her dreams.
But right at the moment of sweet surrender, a scandalous secret is uncovered . . . one that could destroy both Matthew and a love more passionate and irresistible than Daisy's wildest fantasies.
Customer Reviews:
Final Wallflower Novel the Best.......2007-09-12
The fourth book in the wallflower series is Daisy Bowman's story. After failing to catch a titled husband, her father gives her an ultimatim, if she hasn't found a suitable husband in two months he will give her to his business protege, Matthew Swift. Daisy hasn't seen the skinny, gawky over arrogant Matthew Swift in years and she knows she cannot marry him but when she finds herself talking to the attractive houseguest of Marcus', she is stunned to find out he is Matthew. Matthew is gorgeous and all filled out and Daisy is even stunned to find she enjoys talking to him. Matthew has been in love with Daisy Bowman for years...however Matthew has a secret and he knows he can never marry Daisy because his secret would destroy them. The more Matthew tries to avoid Daisy and find another suitable husband for her the more he wants her for himself. Daisy can't believe she has finally found a man she can love and who will make her father happy, but he will not marry her...Daisy decides to take drastic measures to change his mind.
Matthew was one of the better suitors for a wallflower, the fact he kept a momento for years and secretly loved her all that time is what all women want. Daisy is charming in her efforts to snare Matthew. Great ending and the best of the quartet along with Annabelle's story.
A spritely turn with a melodramatic plot.......2007-08-09
A charming study of a wilful but loveable young lady of a rather fey and elfin character who makes a fateful wish at a wishing well. She has grown up detesting her father's hard working right hand man until- perhaps because ofthe wishing well-she so inconveniently falls in love with him. A charming story of Americans in Great Britain at the turn of the century, a house party romp, and even the bad guys match the time period, being rather dastardly and doing all but tying the victim to a railroad track--except their target is the young man in question, not the heroine. Yes, the heroine and her family stage a rescue, though the hero does save himself, and all live happily ever after. The last of a quartet of wallflowers to marry, you won't forget this heroine's courage or charming eccentricties.
Wonderful quartet of books.......2007-07-21
This last book of the quartet was a pleasure to read. It was fun, believeable, and well written. I enjoyed it immensely... as I did the other 3 in the series.
When Love is Real there is Trust.......2007-07-18
Wonderful love story where trust is visible without doubt. Characters are well delineated as real human beings with their strong points and weaknesses. Life is a circle and the truth always comes out. Enjoy the reading as I did.
Scandal in Spring.......2007-06-26
I must admit, all four of these books are predictable, and very similar in plot. But that doesn't stop me from loving them, and loving the characters. Books like these are exactly what I need when my life seems hopeless, because now that there is hope for Matthew and Daisy, it seems like there's hope for me.
I am sad to see this series go, but don't expect this to be the last I read of Lisa Kleypas.
Book Description
A devil's bargain
Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!
Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.
But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts -- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.
Download Description
"
A devil's bargain
Easily the shyest Wallflower, Evangeline Jenner stands to become the wealthiest, once her inheritance comes due. Because she must first escape the clutches of her unscrupulous relatives, Evie has approached the rake Viscount St. Vincent with a most outrageous proposition: marriage!
Sebastian's reputation is so dangerous that thirty seconds alone with him will ruin any maiden's good name. Still, this bewitching chit appeared, unchaperoned, on his doorstep to offer her hand. Certainly an aristocrat with a fine eye for beauty could do far worse.
But Evie's proposal comes with a condition: no lovemaking after their wedding night. She will never become just another of the dashing libertine's callously discarded broken hearts -- which means Sebastian will simply have to work harder at his seductions...or perhaps surrender his own heart for the very first time in the name of true love.
"
Customer Reviews:
Devil In Winter.......2007-09-16
I like the humor, the romance, and the way the female took control of her life in the beganing. I like how he protected her and took care of her.
I wish the there was more of a challege for him for her,with another man in the picture (good or bad person).
Shy Stuttering Wallflower Propositions Rake.......2007-09-11
The third in the Wallflower series is Evie Jenner, the painfully shy stuttering girl who is being abused by her fortune seeking relatives. Upon discovering that they are going to force her to marry her grossly obese and cruel cousin to gain her fortune, Evie escapes and goes to the home of the shameless rake, Sebastian St. Vincent, the same man who tries to kidnap Lillian in the second book to marry her for her fortune. Sebastian has never given Evie a second look, trying to hold a conversation with her is a nightmare but when she proposes marrying him to escape her relatives he knows he can't refuse, he must marry a fortune. Evie's proposition is to go to Gretna Green for a hasty marriage and even hastier consummation to make it legal, but from then on out no more intimacy. All Evie wants is to take care of her father until he dies and to have enough money to live comfortably on...Sebastian should be happy at his good fortune...a wife who is giving him permission to take her money and to pursue any other woman he wants...the problem is he doesn't seem to want any other women anymore. However, can he convince Evie that the best husbands really are reformed rakes. Evie can't help it, she sees things in Sebastian that he has taken great pains to conceal but she will not allow him to touch her if he can't guarantee monogamy...to test his self control, she makes a deal...if Sebastian can remain celibate for 3 months, she will resume physical relations with him...
This was a passionate, sweet story. I wish the author would have taken a little bit more time explaining what made Sebastian act the way he does, but still nothing is lost in the story you just want a little more sometimes.
splendid...........2007-08-02
While the second book (It Happened One Autumn) to this quartet still holds the number spot on my book shelf...this one does come close! It was a pleasant surprise to see the author include characters from her other novels (characters like Derek Craven, Ivo Jenner...). It did not click in my mind that Evie was the daughter of Ivo Jenner... the same Jenner that I read about in "Dreaming of You", who was also portrayed as the antagonist in that book. He was mentioned in the first book of this quartet, but not until this particular book did it all come together...and it was quite a delight!
I also loved the story itself...I was never bored with this book. It wasn't as funny as the second book, but I liked how Evie and Sebastian bickered playfully. The characters were great...Evie finally developed into an outspoken little vixen and Sebastian was able to give his heart to a woman he least expected! I loved the passion and the excitement and of course the re-appearance of the other wallflowers- esp. that little scandalous scene with Daisy. I can't wait to read the 4th book! I'm starting it tomorrow.
I definitely reccomend this book...fantastic and splendid to the core!
Umm was he supposed to say that?.......2007-07-27
I really love LK's wallflower series. I couldn't say enough nice things about it. But something truly bothered me with this particular book. It wasn't the fact that Evie was weak because she proves to be strong. It wasn't the romance or the steamy love scenes because they turn out to be very hot. It was the way that St. Vincent (Sebastian) spoke to Evie. This really bothered me for some reason. In the book he calls her a bitch and a coward and a few other things that are sort of degrading. She just came from a home where she was physically and mentally abused. Yet she still manages to fall in love with the cad. I think Evie could've done without some of the abuse he was laying on her.
However, as the story proceeds, you can tell that Evie's just the girl to break the ice around Sebastian's heart. She cracks a little piece every day they're united, all while gaining her sense of self worth. The love that finally blossoms between these two is something that just makes you smile. Wonderful read (even with the some of the harshness) highly recommended.
Great book...although it seems very familiar........2007-07-16
This book is very entertaining...but the hero seems very like Derek Craven from "Dreaming of You", not that I'm complaining because is one of my favorite characters of all time! So I still thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Book Description
A DATE WORSE THAN DEATH
Determined to turn goth loner Sunako into a real lady, and frustrated by their lack of progress, the guys persuade a reluctant Kyohei to take Sunako out on her first date. Now they just have to convince Sunako, who equates dating with suicide. They trick Sunako by promising her VIP seats at a pro-wrestling death match (the operative word being death). The possibility of seeing blood spilled really gets Sunako excited. What’s more, she even lets Kyohei take her out afterward to a horror flick and a delicious dinner. But wait . . . dinner and a movie . . . that almost sounds like a . . . “Noooooooooooooooo!”
Customer Reviews:
The Wallflower 11.......2007-05-13
It was amazing the best one ever in its series,and I cant wait till the next one.
Best one yet!.......2007-04-18
Yes, Hayakawa-sama seemed to have struggled through this volume, but her efforts were not in vain! The story is finally taking off!
If you've been a devoted reader up until now, I know that you've been screaming about the Kyohei/Sunako thing since book one. And while we got a hint of it in book 10, 11 screams it in your face!
I was actually about to give up the series, what with the whole lack of plot thing. But this made me remember why I loved it!
You will wish you are fluent in Japanese and/or have a time machine so you can read volume 12!
I couldn't think of any way to summerize the goings on without spoiling the story.
Enjoy!
Book Description
Four young ladies enter London society with one necessary goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband. So they band together, and a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.
It Happened at the Ball...
Where beautiful but bold Lillian Bowman quickly learned that her independent American ways weren't entirely "the thing." And the most disapproving of all was insufferable, snobbish, and impossible Marcus, Lord Westcliff, London's most eligible aristocrat.
It Happened in the Garden…
When Marcus shockingly -- and dangerously-swept her into his arms. Lillian was overcome with a consuming passion for a man she didn't even like. Time stood still; it was as if no one else existed…thank goodness they weren't caught very nearly in the act!
It Happened One Autumn...
Marcus was a man in charge of his own emotions, a bedrock of stability. But with Lillian, every touch was exquisite torture, every kiss an enticement for more. Yet how could he consider taking a woman so blatantly unsuitable…as his bride?
Customer Reviews:
...a thin line between love and hate.......2007-09-24
This is the second in the Wallflower quartet and in my opinion is much better than the first (Summer).
This is Lillian and Marcus's story. I was intriqued to see what their story would be like after meeting them in Secrets of a Summer Night. Let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed. Lillan is a real treat of a heroine. She swears, plays "baseball" with the boys, and has a temper on her. I loved it!
Marcus is a straight-laced, serious, by the book hero. Lillian storms in to his life and literally "rocks" his world. He does his very best to reason around why the two of them would never work, but is really is futile! Throughout the book we come to understand why Marcus is the way he is, and after meeting his hateful mother we only love Marcus even more.
The love scenes are scorching so be prepared!!! The end of the book features the Viscount St. Vincent and my only question is how I'll ever be able to buy into him as the hero in the next book. He really does despicable things....I hope that the saying "Reformed rakes make the best husbands" rings true.
Enjoy It Happened One Autumn..it's worth the read.
American Girl takes on British Nobility.......2007-09-11
Lillian Bowman, an American heiress, is one of the four young women who call themselves the wallflowers. In this second installment of the series, headstrong, spirited Lillian, her sister Daisy and her parents are attending a month long party held at Lord Westman's estate. Marcus, Lord Westman, is the ultimate in uptight, superior English snobbiness and Lillian cannot stand him. Lillian and her sister need a sponsor to help them gain a husband from the English nobility and that sponsor comes in the form of Marcus's mother, a cold hearted woman who thinks preserving their bloodline is the most important thing her family can do. After sneaking out to cause some mischief, Lillian runs into Marcus who loses his head and kisses her passionately. Believing Marcus is bewitched by a secret ingredient in a perfume made just for her, Lillian enlists the other wallflowers to help in an experiment to see if the perfume has the same effect on all women. Soon Lillian discovers there is more to Marcus than the facade he presents to the public and she wishes more than anything that she can have him, but she knows he will never marry an American no matter how rich. Marcus is stunned to find himself so strongly affected by Miss Lillian Bowman, even in his affairs he has always been able to maintain a dignified presence but everytime he sees Lillian he loses all control....maybe even considering marriage.
This was an amusing, fast paced sweet romance and I have hopes that the last two stories will compare to the first two in the series. Marcus mother is the ultimate in cold hearted witches, and St. Vincent sufficiently wicked in his competition for Lillian. St. Vincent will be featured in Evie's story which is the third and next book in this series.
Don't be a wallflower- jump in and read this series!.......2007-08-08
You could see it coming in Secrets Of A Summer Night when Marcus found Lillian playing rounders in her underwear (shocking!)... The lovely, lively American Lillian Bowman up against the stiff English formality of Marcus, Lord Westcliff! Poor Marcus was taught never to show emotion. His parents were uncaring, stiff and cruel. Every time Marcus became fond of a nanny or another staff member, his father dismissed them. He had limited time with his sisters. He was scared of his father's huge dogs, so he was locked into a room with them when he was five, for three long terrified hours - to `get over it'. Poor little kid. He was beaten and bullied and abused until he was a stiff aristocrat who thought emotions were unwanted and stupid, especially something like (shudder) love! Independent, bold American heiress Lillian Bowman comes into his life like a gale-force wind, blowing all his rigid, stuffy morals and manners to hell. She challenges him on every decision, probably the only woman in England to do so. The shaken Marcus topples from his lofty perch like a ninepin, totally unhinged and mad with lust - and love - for this passionate free spirit. Gosh, the scene where he kicks his mother's door down and nearly strangles her with her pearls is - thrillingly primal. (He has a reason for it, rest assured. He is our hero, after all.) Go, Marcus! We can only look forward to the rest of this stunning `Wallflower' series. Big sigh!
Positively spectacular!.......2007-07-28
Most definitely the best romance novel I've ever read! I think I loved this one so much more than the first because I was able to identify with the main character, Lillian Bowman, much more than any of the other wallflowers. I found myself laughing out loud hyserically at some of her antics...she was such a well developed character! I loved the chemistry between Lillian and Marcus...it was most definitely a fabulous read. It was passionate, but not too smutty, and I was never bored with this book! And I loved meeting Lord St. Vincent (one the main characters for the next novel to this quartet), he was absolutely a riot and even though I didn't get to see an image of him, I still found myself with a little crush.
This is a must read...I have never laughed so hard from a book and been so absorbed by one book... one word to describe it is....SPECTACTULAR! Thank you Lisa Kleypas!
The Best of the Wallflower Series.......2007-07-27
With the exception of her more modern placed romance novels, I've read all of Lisa Kleypas' books. I've also read all of Ms. Julia Quinn, Ms. Suzanne Enoch, Ms. Eloisa James, Ms. Nicole Jordan, Ms. Kathleen Woodiwiss (RIP and God Bless Ms. Woodiwiss...your novels are awesome), most of Ms. Jude Devereux and Ms. Samantha James. For me, this book ranks number 2 overall after Dreaming of You (Sara and Derek's love story), but number 1 in the Wallflower series.
Lily and Marcus remained to true to themselves and each other. When does that happen in a romance novel? They weren't "dumbed down" and they didn't do the "180" to fit the author's predetermined story line.
It seemed that Marcus and Lilian's characters were so out of character in this novel yet that was best part! Two strong people of opposite attitudes and upbringing, whose seemingly out of character behavior only revealed their true characters to each other!
Some examples: 1) staid, proper, straightlaced Marcus getting caught by Simon Hunt (as in Anabelle's hubby of "Secrets of a Summer Night" fame, book 1 of Wallflowers series) making out and rolling about the floor in his study with Lilian, and 2) emotionally controlled, posed, unruffled Marcus breaking down the door of his mother's suite and practically throttling her 'cause of her involvement with Lilian's disappearance!
And Lilian who is usually making a point to be scandalous almost for the sake of being so and she is not one to lose her wits, is nervous and tongue tied while being coached by Marcus in a game of rounders and bemused when Marcus kisses her senseless while they hid in a hedge. She later gets her finger stuck in a bottle of booze when she drunkenly insists on eating the peach inside...and this is the same women who picks her way out of handcuffs and a locked room after spending most of the day knocked out in a coach!
Its a book filled with character contradictions that only seemed to strengthed and reveal more of the characters. This is a great and fun read.
Book Description
In London in 1843, a marriage–minded girl can overcome almost any obstacle – except for the lack of a dowry. Annabelle Peyton – beautiful, witty, charming Annabelle – lacks a dowry, and so she is staring down a third season as a wallflower. In the chairs next to her at every local ball are three women whose company she has grown quite used to, each with their unmarriageable flaws, each without hope of being asked to dance.
But their fates are about to change. Because, banded together, these wallflowers are a force to be reckoned with. They are able to take on matchmaking mamas with the flick of a fan, capable of setting up private moments with even the most elusive bachelors, and faster than a speeding ladies' maid when it comes to dressing for dinner. In fact, they are such a team that they decide to take on the Annabelle's biggest challenge of all: Simon Hunt, a mere mister with more money than a prince and less interest in marriage than, well, a prince. As unlikely a match as they may seem, there is a spark between them that can be seen by absolutely everybody.
Download Description
"
Four young ladies enter London society with one common goal: they must use their feminine wit and wiles to find a husband.So a daring husband-hunting scheme is born.
Annabelle Peyton, determined to save her family from disaster, decides to use her beauty and wit to tempt a suitable nobleman into making an offer of marriage. But Annabelle's most intriguing -- and persistent -- admirer, wealthy, powerful Simon Hunt, has made it clear that while he will introduce her to irresistible pleasure he will not offer marriage. Annabelle is determined to resist his unthinkable proposition ... but it is impossible in the face of such skillful seduction.
Her friends, looking to help, conspire to entice a more suitable gentleman to offer for Annabelle, for only then will she be safe from Simon -- and her own longings. But on one summer night, Annabelle succumbs to Simon's passionate embrace and tempting kisses ... and she discovers that love is the most dangerous game of all.
"
Customer Reviews:
Gone With the Wind???.......2007-09-18
First off, let me say that I am a HUGE Lisa Kleypas fan. No one writes a self-made man with SCORCHING sensuality like this author. She is in a league with just a few other authors...(McNaught, Garwood, Quinn, Howard, and Putney).
With all that being said, this was not one of my favorite's.
First of all, I really felt like I do when I watch Gone With the Wind. Scarlett is a spoiled, materialistic, self-centered character. The heroine of this novel is the same way. I tried to like Annabelle, but until the last two chapters of the book, I could barely tolerate her. She was entirely concerned about status, wealth, and landing a member of the peer. Shallow is another word I would use to describe her. Kleypas writes that she is this way to save her mother and brother from financial ruin and exploitaton, but I just didn't buy it.
Just like Rhett is obsessed with Scarlet in Gone With the Wind, so is Simon Hunt with Annabelle. I get frustrated when great heros get obsessed with shallow women..it seems like such a waste of a good man. For the life of me I have no idea why Rhett loved Scarlett and I am perplexed why a great man like Simon Hunt would be so obsessed with a woman's beauty that he'd see past her character defects.
I definitely will read the rest of this quartet...(Autumn, Winter, and Spring), but the first book is definitely not a keeper for me...a true rareity with a Kleypas novel.
Powerful start to new series.......2007-09-11
Annabelle Peyton is one of four young women who are having problems finding a husband amongst the British nobility for varying reasons. The four women, Annabelle, Daisy and Lillian Bowman, and Evie Jenner become friends and call themselves the wallflowers.
Annabelle's father died and left her and her mother penniless and Annabelle without a dowry. Even though Annabelle is beautiful, men know that if her circumstances become desperate enough they can have her as a mistress instead of marrying her. The wallflowers begin to work together to find husbands but Annabelle situation is growing desperate if she doesn't find a husband this season it is unlikely she will marry. Simon Hunt, a commoner who found his fortune in the locomotive industry desires Annabelle but he doesn't plan on ever marrying. However, he will do anything to get Annabelle. Unfortunately for Simon, Annabelle loathes him. Although she cannot deny her attraction, something about the arrogant Simon infuriates her.
This was a wonderfully written book and Annabelle and Simon were intriguing characters. The villan was sufficiently creepy and the action quick paced. Great start.
Secrets of a Summer Night.......2007-09-03
ISBN 0060091290 - Not following too many of the generic rules of romance novels has worked for Kleypas, making her one of the few romance authors I would read from again of my own choice.
Since her father died, Annabelle and her family have fallen on hard times, financially, when she discovers that her mother has taken a different fall of her own - assuming the role of mistress to a pig of a man to help pay the bills. Annabelle feels the pressure of the need to marry well, which will save her mother from Lord Hodgeham and keep her brother in school. Landing a man with a title and money isn't just an issue of snobbery, it's a must. Her upbringing has taught her that she should marry a peer and her families dire straits requires that he be wealthy enough to help them. Unfortunately, Annabelle doesn't have a dowry and without a dowry, she's just a pretty face, more likely to end up someone's mistress than the wife of a peer. After almost 4 seasons without an offer of marriage, Annabelle's on the verge of becoming a spinster.
Decidedly not the right man, Simon Hunt is the son of a butcher. He's wealthy, but in the low-class way of having worked for it. Worse, he likes to talk about work and making money. Some of the peerage invites him to places he really doesn't belong, throwing he and Annabelle in each other's way. She admits she finds him attractive, but she's got her mind set on marrying a certain sort of man. And she has a plan.
As the season began to draw to a close, Annabelle found herself sitting with 3 other girls. They'd sat together often, watching others dance, but never spoken. One night, however, that changes and the four girls make a pact to help each other find husbands. They've all got their own reasons for ending up wallflowers: Evie's family is wealthy but common and the Bowman sisters, Lillian and Daisy, are American and a bit too rough around the edges. They're only accepted at all into society because their father is very rich. The four become fast friends and the husband hunting begins with Annabelle's plight, since she is oldest.
The story of the girls' friendship is given more ink than the usual romance novel drivel, which is a huge plus. The girls are funny and real and I hope Kleypas realizes, through the next three books, that the romance isn't nearly as interesting as they are and keeps them centerstage. Simon and Annabelle don't follow the standard romance novel pattern too closely, either, with no other man/woman thrown between them and no major misunderstandings to muddy up the romance. That alone makes this one worthy of a quick read.
One Terrific Read!.......2007-08-24
This story was so beautiful. I love the entire wallflower series, I only wished I'd read them in order! Once again Kleypas has outdid herself.
Kind of bland.......2007-08-21
I'm glad I didn't read this book, the beginning of the Wallflower series, first otherwise, I might not have read the other three. This book is a very slow start to an otherwise entertaining series. It Happened One Autumn is good, The Devil in Winter is amazingly written and Scandal in Spring is extremely entertaining. However, as much as I didn't really enjoy Simon and Annabelle's story, I did enjoy reading about them in the following books. All in all, a good series and if you've read this one first and didn't care for it, don't let it stop you from reading the following books. They're much, much better.
Book Description
When we were two, we were no longer babies-we were
becoming little girls. And when we were thirteen, we were leaving childhood behind,
becoming young women. But somewhere along the way, we stopped
becoming. We became "un-women." Wallflowers who are just breathing and smiling and blending in to stay out of the way.
That is
not what God had in mind when He created us. He wants us to keep becoming. He wants us to become strong, decisive, wise, creative, passionate, courageous-all the things we've dreamed of becoming.
When Wallflowers Dance is a fresh challenge to women who have lived hesitant, cautious lives but long to break free and dance!
Using both Scripture and story, Angela Thomas addresses the attributes of "becoming" and the freedom we have in Christ to keep developing the characteristics that reflect our God-given longings.
Customer Reviews:
Good ideas.......2007-02-18
This is a good book by a delightful author. I didn't find it very appropriate for my age group (50's). I think it is more for those in their thirties??? But still I enjoyed the truths inside.... and felt old. haha..
Rev. Fuzzy Lake.......2007-01-11
This book is a must for women who don't know who they are or where they are at with the love that God freely gives.Recomend it to all women struggling with being loved.
Hmmmmm..............2006-07-20
I had high hopes for this book and it left me flat. The book should really be promoted as a great book for a woman in the midst of a mid-life crisis, not a "learn to be righteously confident" type-attitude.
Angela is a great writer and I think there will be a lot of woman out there who will benefit from this book. I just feel the packaging may be a tad misleading. This is a book for women over 30 in the midst of personal struggle. Not an encouraging book for women of all ages on confidence....which is how I perceived the book.
All in all, I found Stasi Elderedge's "Captivating" to be far more insightful.
A fun yet meaningful read.......2006-03-31
I really liked Angela's style and link to living the spirit-filled life with dancing. I thought her chapters on the Holy Spirit were very good and practical as well. I enjoyed the read because I've been doing a lot of in-depth study and working out of my faith and it was very fun and at the same time based on Truth and solid biblical principal's. I would recommend it to all women on their faith journey....if you're really "theological" it will be a welcomed breath of fresh air, if you're a new christian you'll enjoy the down to earth advice.
A guide to pursuing an "intentional life".......2005-12-02
"There is a life that you live with God, and there is the life you live when you are dancing in His arms," writes Angela Thomas in her new book, WHEN WALLFLOWERS DANCE. "Dancing is living in the fullness of your purpose for this life on earth. Dancing is loving every single person that God brings to you with the love He has so abundantly given. Dancing means that you have eyes that can see what matters for eternity. Dancing is a passionate life. Adventure. And living without fear."
Dancing is spiritual maturity. Thomas is calling women to this, away from being what she calls "un-women." Un-women are those who retreat from life by numbing themselves to its hardships. "I became the un-woman in my effort to avoid the relationship landmines all around me," Thomas writes. "Then there was some weird decision that I didn't deserve anything more than a numb, timid existence. And then sometimes it seemed like the more spiritual thing to do was to emotionally fade to gray. Be quiet. Remain unseen and unknown. Forget about becoming anything. Neutral. Unrecognizable. More and more it seems like so many women are surviving decades of their lives by turning their hearts inside out, trying not to feel. Becoming the un-woman." Chief among the problems of numbing yourself to life's pain is that you end up numbing yourself to life's joys as well --- and to God.
The antidote to un-womanliness is learning to dance --- essentially pursuing an "intentional" life. Thomas wants women to take time for their own needs --- body and soul. And her advice covers both; she counsels women to restore order to their physical environment even as they're working to restore spiritual order in their hearts and minds. Find a spiritual mentor and clean out your closets. Deal with deep-seated bitterness in your life and make time for exercise.
Thomas gives women permission to put aside most of their self-imposed expectations --- homemade meals and handwritten thank-you notes among them --- while learning to dance. "I love ironed clothes and beautiful dinners and having my hair styled. But I cannot do it all every day and care for my soul. I am deciding that my soul and the souls of my children matter more. My being peaceful when I'm with them matters more than anything else," she writes. "Sometimes it's more peaceful to drive through for chicken-Caesar wraps than to kill myself for homemade. I desire that part of my life, but I am also in a ridiculously busy season of mothering. Right now it just feels good to have my heart back, I don't want to run ahead of myself and sacrifice any of the growth I've fought so hard to get to."
This kind of cocooning, or focus on the self, is certainly appropriate and healthy at times. But in our self-help-saturated society, sustained efforts at "becoming" are vulnerable to the influence of secular ideas about personal development as contrasted with Biblical principles of finding one's identity in Christ and sacrificial love. The ideas in WHEN WALLFLOWERS DANCE are supported by Scripture, but sometimes they feel more like a Dr. Phil approach to spirituality. This is about you --- you living a full life, you being satisfied, you learning to dance. I wonder if this is the best way to frame a conversation about spiritual maturity.
Perhaps sometimes it is.
Certainly there are "un-women" out there who need permission to get to know themselves again (or for the first time). God did not save us in order that we might become drones --- everyone smiling and nodding on cue, everyone hemming and hawing and deferring. Opinions and unique perspectives are good things to bring to bear on our lives and the lives of those around us. And Thomas's vision does eventually move beyond the self. "Dancing" women can be redemptive influences in their homes, churches, and communities.
And yet, in this age of iPods and Tivo and three Sunday morning services featuring different worship styles and a million other ways to customize our lives based on personal preferences, it seems to me that the bigger spiritual danger for modern women (and men too) is the idolization of the self ---- the elevation of our own desires and preferences so that we are less and less able to function well and lovingly outside our own meticulously constructed spheres.
Thomas gives the example of one friend who, in her pursuit of spiritual maturity, rid her house of any object that "might be a reflection of the old, un-woman life she had been living --- music, DVDs, collections she'd purchased to fill her emptiness." At the same time she decided to decorate her home with things that remind her of the light of Christ --- "stars and cute lamps and beautiful crosses." Thomas writes, "I love that in restoring order she began to surround herself with physical reminders of the One who is leading her out." There's certainly nothing intrinsically wrong about intentional interior design, but is it possible that this woman was just trading one vision of herself for another vision of herself via her debit card?
It's troubling to me that the language of self-help and consumerism linger in so many of our conversations about spiritual formation. And yet, perhaps it's inevitable on some level as we grapple with how spiritual realities should become physical realities in our lives. Maybe Thomas is on to something when she talks about having a clean conscience and a clean car. What's certain is that she's written a book that will provide the permission many women need to take some dancing lessons. And to the extent that it points women towards an engagement with the fullness of life, WHEN WALLFLOWERS DANCE is a good deejay. Turn up the music.
--- Reviewed by Lisa Ann Cockrel
Book Description
A BACHELORETTE WITH BANGS
Four gorgeous yet determined guys are still struggling to turn their reluctant, homely housemate Sunako into a proper lady. So far, the dreamy quartet have miraculously managed to cover up Sunako’s total lack of progress from their landlady, Sunako’s aunt, who is eager to see results. She has even set Sunako up on a blind date! If the aunt finds out that Sunako is still clinging to the darkness, their rent is sure to skyrocket. It looks like the only way out is to convince the meddling relative that Sunako already has a boyfriend. But which of the four guys could possibly pull off such a demanding role?
Customer Reviews:
First date.......2007-01-13
Sunako has to find a date before her father arrives but the guys are the only ones who can do the job. Watch Sunako go through all four dates and the one she enjoyed the most. I liked this volume beacuse there was more things in common between Sunako and Kyohei other than their constant fighting. You can see where Sunako gets her strength from when her mother comes to retrieve her father.
The previous volumes were better.......2005-08-11
This is the fourth volume of the wallflower, and to be honest, I wasn't too impressed with it.
Sunako still looks cute , especially since she was the size and shape of a beach ball all throughout the manga. In the previous ones, she appeared as a lady much more frequently. I managed to read the whole thing in 20 minutes, it didn't have much to read, all the pages had a couple or three talk baloons.
The story this time was about getting Sunako to become a lady in order to go out with the blind date her Aunt was bringing back. So they try as usual..
Having said that , the drawings are very nice, which is why I bought this volume, and it is extremely funny at times. I will definitely buy the fifth also, because I want to know what happens!
Up to you to decide :)
The Funniness is Revived.......2005-07-15
While many people have gotten sick of this manga series and have just given up on it, my love for it grows. I think this is an extremely fresh and funny concept. Though Sunako's weirdness does get a little repetitive sometimes, everything that occurs in the story is still pretty unexpected and funny.
I'm not sure what kind of synopsis to give since the back of the book has the best summary already.
I'd like to add, if you're a fan of ridiculous shojo manga, you'll think this is gold. I'm thinking that Hana Kimi and Skip Beat fans will enjoy this. Perhaps even if you like something like Imadoki!. But one word of warning is that each volume contains its own little situation (and rarely does it end on a cliffhanger because it seems to end in episodes more or less).
This fourth volume sticks with the quality of the first volume (which is still probably my favourite volume thus far).
I highly recommend this for comedy-lovers.
This is Halloween, This is Halloween!.......2005-06-30
One of the things that used to bother me about this series is that in spite of its imminently lovable heroine (heh heh heh) none of the episodes are very serious, or plausible, or even very much about students so much as about four (five, if you count the moments when Sunako casts off her chibi exterior) hot people united for a more or less coherent purpose -- make Sunako a lady and win free rent at a supercool mansion!
But then with this volume I realized that following the usual pattern of shojo comics is not really what Hayakawa is about. She's all about having fun with goth-hood and letting us look at lots of handsomely drawn people, and yes, being outrageously irreverent in spite of some of the more genuinely bloodcurdling situations she has her heroes get into (a serial rapist at Christmas and a vicious murder at a hot spring are two incidents in previous volumes that left me just this side of uncomfortable; I'm impressed, however by Hayakawa's ability to generate real character-based humor from such situations). Yes, all the kids are students, and their reasons for being together are rather tenuous, but the quibbling details of school iife and total plausibility are mere blips on the radar, as they should be.
Anyways, in this volume Hayakawa seems to have more fun with her characters, placing them in such outlandish situations as: what four guys will do in the heat of a broken-air-conditioner summer, the boys' individual attempts to give Sunako dating practice, and gorgeous, popular Noi's reaction when Sunako suffers a mysterious collapse that renders her unable and unwilling to do housework.
Sunako spends most of this volume in chibi form, as the storylines don't really require her to go human. I sort of missed her transformations, but sort of didn't. Chibi-Suna-chan has grown on me, I guess. She does have hilarious moments as a ghastly apparition during her breakdown -- some of Haywakawa's most well-executed fright drawings yet. I also appreciated Noi's extra character development.
Check out the back pages where the author drools like a charming teenager over her favorite bands and chatters about her deep interest in goth fashion. The bands will be unfamiliar to non-Japanese readers, but it's interesting to see what's going on over there in the way of pop culture.
On the whole, this was a cute book and a fun read. I highly recommend it for those looking for goofy gothness!
Book Description
THE GHOULISH GRANNY
Four of Japan’s most gorgeous guys have the near-impossible task of turning goth-loner Sunako into a lady. When they find Sunako all dressed up and ready for a night on the town, the guys think their luck may have finally changed. Hoping to catch a glimpse of Sunako’s date, the quartet follow her out the door. But instead of a handsome young prince, they find an old granny with a taste for the macabre!
Granny’s Museum of Horrors is closing shop and she’s promised all of the remaining items to her best (and only) customer, Sunako. Just what the guys need–more gruesome artifacts cluttering their house. Sunako is hoping to bring her horrific treasures home, but the guys will do anything to stop her . . . even if it means all-out war.
Customer Reviews:
I Love These boys!.......2006-12-30
This is my favorite manga series, the characters are so interesting and unusual! Cute boys! Plus Sunako is my all time favorite female character in any manga series because she isn't like any other, shes very unique.
Average customer rating:
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Wimmin, Wimps & Wallflowers: An Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Gender and Sexual Orientation Bias in the United States
Philip H. Herbst
Manufacturer: Intercultural Press
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