The Carrie Diaries

Today's post is a book review. The last time I did a book review was when I talked about Lauren Conrad Style, link here, and so I knew that it was about time to do another one. On my last trip to the bookstore, I finally caved and bought a copy of Candace Bushnell's first YA novel, The Carrie Diaries.

I started reading the book on Monday and finished it Wednesday morning/Thursday morning. At first, I wasn't really impressed with the book's pace. It felt slow and for the first fifty pages I kept waiting for SOMETHING exciting to happen. I hate starting books mostly because I hate the setup of most books--getting to know the character, setting up the plot, learning everyone's names. I just want to get to the action! Does that make me a bad reader? Probably.

But shortly after the page fifty the book started to take off. For those who don't know, this is the prequel to Candace Bushnell's wildly popular book, Sex and the City. Yes. The one that was transformed into the wildly successful TV series featuring Carrie Bradshaw and her three besties as they survived the dating/career world in New York City.

I don't know how she did it but Bushnell had me identifying so closely to teenage Carrie. I was literally yelling at my book [and at Carrie] when I, as the reader, saw something coming down the tunnel that she couldn't see. Although the plot was a tad bit predictable, I still couldn't put the book down for the last two hundred pages. That's why I didn't finish the thing until Thursday at 1:30 AM. The love triangle was too frustrating and juicy for me to go to sleep with my questions un-answered!

The boys portrayed in this book reminded me of boys that I know at my high school. Bushnell wasn't interested in sugar-coating high school love and I admired that. She focused on real issues that kids deal with and just amplified the drama a bit because this is a work of fiction. Hopefully all this drama never happens to anyone in only one year of high school. If it has...my deepest sympathies.

I was also hoping that there would've been a larger emphasis on Carrie's blossoming fashion sense--that is what she's most known for after all--but other than mentioned in passing or centralized upon talk of her mother's handbag, it isn't talked about. Kind of depressing.

All in all? Good read. Just get through the first chunk and you'll find yourself reading about the humble beginnings of one of America's most well known style icons. This book is also a bit of "How To Become a Writer", so if you want a light read and learn something practical along the way, check this book out.

Thank you guys for reading! Leave any book suggestions in the comments. I'm looking for another book to review on this channel. If you want to check out my second blog, I'd be so grateful!