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Brooklyn Girls #1
Brooklyn Girls
Fantastically funny, fresh and utterly relatable, Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess is the first novel in her brand new series about five twenty-something friends—Pia, Angie, Julia, Coco and Madeleine—sharing a brownstone in hip, downtown Brooklyn, and discovering the ups and downs and ins and outs of their “semi-adult” lives. The first story belongs to sophisticated, spoiled, and stylish Pia, who finds herself completely unemployed, unemployable, and broke. So what is a recent grad with an art history degree and an unfortunate history of Facebook topless photos to do? Start a food truck business of course! Pia takes on the surprisingly cutthroat Brooklyn world of hybrid lettuce growers, artisanal yogurt makers and homemade butter producers to start SkinnyWheels—all while dealing with hipster bees, one-night-stands, heartbreak, parental fury, wild parties, revenge, jail, loan sharks, playboys, karaoke, true love, and one adorable pink food truck. And that's without counting her roommates' problems, too. Gemma Burgess has captured the confusion, hilarity and excitement of the post-graduate years against a backdrop of the pressures and chaos of New York City life, with heartfelt empathy, fast humor and sharp honesty.
A charming debut series about five twenty-something girls and the humor, heartbreak, and drama that bring them together.
A charming debut series about five twenty-something girls and the humor, heartbreak, and drama that bring them together.
294 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2013
44 people are currently reading
3059 people want to read
About the author
Gemma Burgess
15 books626 followersGemma started writing anti-romantic comedies for girls who like chicklit that comforts and charms without the silly fluffy bits. She lives in Notting Hill in London, but grew up all over the place – mostly Hong Kong. She loves talking and writing, not necessarily in that order.
She also loves burgers, vodka, white-tipped Marlboro Lights, OK GO, Sixteen Candles, Lucky Jim, anything from Nora Ephron and Jilly Cooper, new wave music and clothes.
Email Gemma at gemma@gemmaburgess.com or get in touch with Sammie Rafique at Avon / Harper Collins, Laura Longrigg at MBA Literary Agents (London) or Jill Grinberg at Jill Grinberg Literary Management (New York).
She also loves burgers, vodka, white-tipped Marlboro Lights, OK GO, Sixteen Candles, Lucky Jim, anything from Nora Ephron and Jilly Cooper, new wave music and clothes.
Email Gemma at gemma@gemmaburgess.com or get in touch with Sammie Rafique at Avon / Harper Collins, Laura Longrigg at MBA Literary Agents (London) or Jill Grinberg at Jill Grinberg Literary Management (New York).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 270 reviews
July 19, 2013
2.5 stars
Brooklyn Girls was in my eyes a fresh book in a new series which could deliver something different. However I had far too many hang ups that resulted in Brooklyn Girls not leaving the greatest impression with me.
Pia has messed up big time, a photo of her topless and drinking was uploaded to Facebook and now her agency has dropped her. Her parents then rock up with an ultimatum she has eight weeks to sort her life out, otherwise she will be forced to leave Brooklyn and come and stay with them. Pia realises it’s important to finally sort her life out, she loves living in Brooklyn in a great brownstone with four fabulous girls (one who isn’t talking to her, but that’s beside’s the point!). Brooklyn is the place where it’s at and she doesn’t want to leave just because her parents say so, she’s a grown adult!
Half the time Pia didn’t act like an adult and I think that’s the biggest problem I had with her. Some of the decisions she made; borrowing money off a dodgy guy she knew nothing about and not checking with anyone beforehand. If she had confided with any of her flatmates, things could have been a lot simpler. I had a hard time connecting with Pia’s character she was at times a bit rash and didn’t appreciate what she had already. The only characters I really liked were Jules and Coco. I know this was Pia’s story, but if Jules and Coco were given more time to shine; they were nice girls I think I would have appreciated this story more.
Another thing which didn’t work out for me was that Pia eventually found herself in a huge mess with no way out. I actually appreciated this part, as finally something other than Pia and her friends partying and getting off their face was happening. But the issue was resolved far too quickly for my liking. This also again happened afterwards with Pia’s parents. They were quick to back down after making threats for like 2/3 of the book. I don’t mind things getting resolved in a book at all; however I do when it happens far too quickly.
It’s disappointing that I wasn’t able to enjoy Brooklyn Girls, as a lot of my blogger friends found it to be a decent read. This series is set to continue with the next book told from the pov of Angie, but I don’t think I will be continuing any further with this series.
This review can be found on The Readers Den
Brooklyn Girls was in my eyes a fresh book in a new series which could deliver something different. However I had far too many hang ups that resulted in Brooklyn Girls not leaving the greatest impression with me.
Pia has messed up big time, a photo of her topless and drinking was uploaded to Facebook and now her agency has dropped her. Her parents then rock up with an ultimatum she has eight weeks to sort her life out, otherwise she will be forced to leave Brooklyn and come and stay with them. Pia realises it’s important to finally sort her life out, she loves living in Brooklyn in a great brownstone with four fabulous girls (one who isn’t talking to her, but that’s beside’s the point!). Brooklyn is the place where it’s at and she doesn’t want to leave just because her parents say so, she’s a grown adult!
Half the time Pia didn’t act like an adult and I think that’s the biggest problem I had with her. Some of the decisions she made; borrowing money off a dodgy guy she knew nothing about and not checking with anyone beforehand. If she had confided with any of her flatmates, things could have been a lot simpler. I had a hard time connecting with Pia’s character she was at times a bit rash and didn’t appreciate what she had already. The only characters I really liked were Jules and Coco. I know this was Pia’s story, but if Jules and Coco were given more time to shine; they were nice girls I think I would have appreciated this story more.
Another thing which didn’t work out for me was that Pia eventually found herself in a huge mess with no way out. I actually appreciated this part, as finally something other than Pia and her friends partying and getting off their face was happening. But the issue was resolved far too quickly for my liking. This also again happened afterwards with Pia’s parents. They were quick to back down after making threats for like 2/3 of the book. I don’t mind things getting resolved in a book at all; however I do when it happens far too quickly.
It’s disappointing that I wasn’t able to enjoy Brooklyn Girls, as a lot of my blogger friends found it to be a decent read. This series is set to continue with the next book told from the pov of Angie, but I don’t think I will be continuing any further with this series.
This review can be found on The Readers Den
June 10, 2014
Fantastically funny, fresh and utterly relatable, Brooklyn Girls by Gemma Burgess is the first novel in her brand new series about five twenty-something friends—Pia, Angie, Julia, Coco and Madeleine—sharing a brownstone in hip, downtown Brooklyn, and discovering the ups and downs and ins and outs of their “semi-adult” lives.
I love Gemma Burgess... she has become my new writer friend (in my mind). She reminds me of Sophie Kinsella and that is a VERY good thing. I love New York so this book already got bonus points for being set in Brooklyn. I also love reading about young women learning to make it on their own with work, apartments, and men. It's such a thrill to read the struggles and the wins. Maybe I love that so much because I could relate to it. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
I love Gemma Burgess... she has become my new writer friend (in my mind). She reminds me of Sophie Kinsella and that is a VERY good thing. I love New York so this book already got bonus points for being set in Brooklyn. I also love reading about young women learning to make it on their own with work, apartments, and men. It's such a thrill to read the struggles and the wins. Maybe I love that so much because I could relate to it. Can't wait to read the rest of the series.
June 7, 2013
Please don't start this book and think it's about another spoiled, rich, ditzy air head with no pride. Because where you may think that, sooo not the case. Pia is such a strong character who is finally learning who she is and the fact that she is a strong woman and what her family and exboyfriends say is not true. She seems like a girl that we can all relate to, she stumbles, she makes some stupid decisions, but she get's her act together and makes something of herself while building and repairing the relationships around her. This is a wonderful book for anyone to read, it will leave you laughing your ass off while your sitting on the edge of your seat. I highly recommend this book and can't wait for the next one in the series.
July 18, 2013
This is what New Adult is supposed to be! I have to be honest, I really have had trouble with the actual definition of New Adult because it just sounds like a weird genre to fill in the hole between Young Adult and melodramatic, bodice ripper romances. And really, why on Earth would that hole even exist? And so I was confused for a long while about what New Adult was, other than Young Adult with more sex. And Brooklyn Girls gave me an answer that, thankfully, wasn't 'oh, it's just more sex AND drugs. Because that's obviously what people in the age group 18-25 do.'
And yes, Brooklyn girls showed drugs and alcohol but only to show the characters' growth. And it made the realisation that it is a very stereotypical thing for that age group to do and those people are a minority. Except for the few curious party-goers (but whatever). Anyway, I'm going on a tangent. The point is - sex, alcohol and drugs are prominent aspects of the book - but mostly in the beginning and it's used to show the character's growth. I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about.
So. What my point is... New Adult is character growth in the transition from student to graduate, teenager to adult and all the shenanigans that occur within that time.
Brooklyn Girls does this by telling the story of beautiful Pia who has always found it hard to belong. She's desperate to grow up and be separate from her parents. Romance is part of the story but not a whole lot. Mostly it's about these food trucks that drive around New York selling food. A completely unique premise to show the growth of Pia. Beside Pia, are her four roommates who are also her best friends. These characters managed to have interesting personalities and weren't just supporting because I'm pretty sure this a series about each girl who live in Rookhaven.
I think my biggest annoyance in the book, is the melodrama. I never expected so many thugs and truck violations. I actually don't care about the parties because they're completely normal. But I have got to ask - is a loan shark really that available to young girls? I honestly have no idea.
The friendships in the book are really great and you can tell they will only grow in importance as the series progresses. I actually think I'm most excited for Coco.
In total, I thought Brooklyn Girls was exceptional for its genre. While it didn't address any serious issues such as rape or addiction as seems to be the trend in New Adult, it showed spectacular character growth, using humour and the personalities of the roommates to create something fun and interesting and lovely. Go Gemma Burgess! (BTW I still prefer A Girl Like You - that is a cracker of a book!)
And yes, Brooklyn girls showed drugs and alcohol but only to show the characters' growth. And it made the realisation that it is a very stereotypical thing for that age group to do and those people are a minority. Except for the few curious party-goers (but whatever). Anyway, I'm going on a tangent. The point is - sex, alcohol and drugs are prominent aspects of the book - but mostly in the beginning and it's used to show the character's growth. I honestly don't see what all the fuss is about.
So. What my point is... New Adult is character growth in the transition from student to graduate, teenager to adult and all the shenanigans that occur within that time.
Brooklyn Girls does this by telling the story of beautiful Pia who has always found it hard to belong. She's desperate to grow up and be separate from her parents. Romance is part of the story but not a whole lot. Mostly it's about these food trucks that drive around New York selling food. A completely unique premise to show the growth of Pia. Beside Pia, are her four roommates who are also her best friends. These characters managed to have interesting personalities and weren't just supporting because I'm pretty sure this a series about each girl who live in Rookhaven.
I think my biggest annoyance in the book, is the melodrama. I never expected so many thugs and truck violations. I actually don't care about the parties because they're completely normal. But I have got to ask - is a loan shark really that available to young girls? I honestly have no idea.
The friendships in the book are really great and you can tell they will only grow in importance as the series progresses. I actually think I'm most excited for Coco.
In total, I thought Brooklyn Girls was exceptional for its genre. While it didn't address any serious issues such as rape or addiction as seems to be the trend in New Adult, it showed spectacular character growth, using humour and the personalities of the roommates to create something fun and interesting and lovely. Go Gemma Burgess! (BTW I still prefer A Girl Like You - that is a cracker of a book!)
July 1, 2013
Brooklyn Girls was utterly disappointing to me. If this is what the recently established "New Adult" genre is like it is clearly not for me. It almost seems as if the novel is written by a teenager who thinks that they know what it is like to be an adult - that is to say, they got it very, very wrong.
Main character Pia was over-dramatic and highly annoying, even more so than the average teenager, and the storyline was so over the top and ridiculous at times that I just couldn't take it or Pia seriously. Add to that the blatant recreational drug abuse and the completely unrealistic yet predictable conclusion (it's impossible that Pia would pull that off with her lack of skill, knowledge or that attitude - her rant at her parents about how she's an adult now was particularly laughable) and all I can think is "What the hell did I just read?!?!"
Main character Pia was over-dramatic and highly annoying, even more so than the average teenager, and the storyline was so over the top and ridiculous at times that I just couldn't take it or Pia seriously. Add to that the blatant recreational drug abuse and the completely unrealistic yet predictable conclusion (it's impossible that Pia would pull that off with her lack of skill, knowledge or that attitude - her rant at her parents about how she's an adult now was particularly laughable) and all I can think is "What the hell did I just read?!?!"
August 1, 2014
I really enjoyed this book. I mean, obviously. Five stars and all. It has the wit and heart I expect from Gemma Burgess and that includes engaging characters who are fully realized and who do their best to fit into each others' lives despite the bumps and bruises along the way.
I really enjoyed Pia, though I think Burgess had to pull a bit of a fast one to put her in the trouble she was in through much of the book. Even someone math-challenged and naïve shouldn't have been quite so . . . blasé, I suppose, of going to a loan shark. Pia's relationship self-destruct impulses at least made sense, in contrast. That glitch aside, however, I rather enjoyed her journey. She's earnest, kind, and honestly striving to make her way with no idea how to go about it—and that's nine kinds of endearing and drew me right in.
But what really stood out, for me, is the group of friends. None of them are perfect and some of them are outright hostile, at times. And they each have their own damage and difficulties dealing with the lives they're trying to forge. Yet for all their differences and very human antagonisms, you know that they're doing their best both for themselves and for the other roommates. Making this, in the end, a story as much about our interdependencies and important friendships as it is about work, love, or accepting maturity.
So yeah, there are rough spots that Burgess simply glosses over and I don't want to be too dismissive of that. And yet, I couldn't put it down (staying up way too late) and finished it with a glow of satisfaction and a desire to spend more time with these women as they figure out not just what they want to do with their lives, but how they want to go about living.
A note about Steamy: This book wasn't steamy. No explicit sex, whatsoever. There are, however, frank discussions and events that range over lots of "adult" topics that include sex, drugs, alcohol, and some very bad men.
I really enjoyed Pia, though I think Burgess had to pull a bit of a fast one to put her in the trouble she was in through much of the book. Even someone math-challenged and naïve shouldn't have been quite so . . . blasé, I suppose, of going to a loan shark. Pia's relationship self-destruct impulses at least made sense, in contrast. That glitch aside, however, I rather enjoyed her journey. She's earnest, kind, and honestly striving to make her way with no idea how to go about it—and that's nine kinds of endearing and drew me right in.
But what really stood out, for me, is the group of friends. None of them are perfect and some of them are outright hostile, at times. And they each have their own damage and difficulties dealing with the lives they're trying to forge. Yet for all their differences and very human antagonisms, you know that they're doing their best both for themselves and for the other roommates. Making this, in the end, a story as much about our interdependencies and important friendships as it is about work, love, or accepting maturity.
So yeah, there are rough spots that Burgess simply glosses over and I don't want to be too dismissive of that. And yet, I couldn't put it down (staying up way too late) and finished it with a glow of satisfaction and a desire to spend more time with these women as they figure out not just what they want to do with their lives, but how they want to go about living.
A note about Steamy: This book wasn't steamy. No explicit sex, whatsoever. There are, however, frank discussions and events that range over lots of "adult" topics that include sex, drugs, alcohol, and some very bad men.
July 9, 2013
Witless garbage. As a girl who's lived in Manhattan for 10 years and Brooklyn for 5, I can tell you Burgess has no understanding of Brooklyn, girls, or, for that matter, America.
May 1, 2013
I loved this book so hard. I couldn't put it down for anything.
I am so in love with all the characters and was cheering them on through every page. Pia and her friends are amazing people and I couldn't stop wanting to have the chance to be their friend in real life.
Plus, the profanity usage in this book is so ridiculously fluent and poetic, I walked away feeling slightly more awesome than I actually am.
I am so in love with all the characters and was cheering them on through every page. Pia and her friends are amazing people and I couldn't stop wanting to have the chance to be their friend in real life.
Plus, the profanity usage in this book is so ridiculously fluent and poetic, I walked away feeling slightly more awesome than I actually am.
October 31, 2013
Gemme Burgess sa podľa mňa ani zďaleka nedostáva toľko uznania, ako by si zaslúžila.
To je všetko, čo som k tomu chcela povedať.
To je všetko, čo som k tomu chcela povedať.
December 22, 2015
At about 22% of reading this novel, I was all ready to shelve this on my DNF list but I thought of taking a short break and decided to go on with it and I’m sure glad I did because after clearing my head a bit, the whole thing finally picked up after that annoyingly stupid decision from the main character.
You see, Pia’s a 22-year old newly graduate from Brown who lives with four other friends in Brooklyn and is used to partying, casual sex, drugs and just doing whatever she wanted to do until her parents gave her an ultimatum. She could either stay in New York and be a responsible adult and support herself or come live with his parents to Zürich and leave her friends and New York behind.
My note says: You simply just don’t blurt out going into a business you are not familiar with, then get a loan from a loan shark, buy a nine thousand dollar food truck, and with no experience and no other means for other expenses. All in a day. But apparently, our MC’s Wonder Woman personified and she made it happen. I was just rolling my eyes at this point and thought it was just plain stupid period. [this was the 22% where I almost gave up on it]
So I went on with it because my note above turns out to be one of the main plot points (and is the major conflict) in the story. At 25% into the story, I’m happily turning each page.
Another thing that I would really like to just vent out here was the Eddie angle. There was no closure or whatsoever at all. I would’ve liked a much more detailed confrontation to be honest.
The whole story is very “chic-flick”, is on the predictable side but very easy to read and quite enjoyable most of the time. I’m not usually a fan of chic-romance-sisterhood-friendship-shit but I got attached with the girls a bit at the end of the story.
So there, I’d definitely read the next installment of this series as I am hoping to see more of the girls and get an update on Pia and Aidan. I’d also like to hear more from Jonah – he’s such a lovely character! This is one of those books that reminding me of that stage in my life when I was also clueless as to what I was going to do. I guess we all have that at some point in our lives. In general, I’d say that this was a pretty satisfying read. I’m not sure if it’s for everyone but it’s a fun read just the same.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
You see, Pia’s a 22-year old newly graduate from Brown who lives with four other friends in Brooklyn and is used to partying, casual sex, drugs and just doing whatever she wanted to do until her parents gave her an ultimatum. She could either stay in New York and be a responsible adult and support herself or come live with his parents to Zürich and leave her friends and New York behind.
My note says: You simply just don’t blurt out going into a business you are not familiar with, then get a loan from a loan shark, buy a nine thousand dollar food truck, and with no experience and no other means for other expenses. All in a day. But apparently, our MC’s Wonder Woman personified and she made it happen. I was just rolling my eyes at this point and thought it was just plain stupid period. [this was the 22% where I almost gave up on it]
So I went on with it because my note above turns out to be one of the main plot points (and is the major conflict) in the story. At 25% into the story, I’m happily turning each page.
Another thing that I would really like to just vent out here was the Eddie angle. There was no closure or whatsoever at all. I would’ve liked a much more detailed confrontation to be honest.
The whole story is very “chic-flick”, is on the predictable side but very easy to read and quite enjoyable most of the time. I’m not usually a fan of chic-romance-sisterhood-friendship-shit but I got attached with the girls a bit at the end of the story.
So there, I’d definitely read the next installment of this series as I am hoping to see more of the girls and get an update on Pia and Aidan. I’d also like to hear more from Jonah – he’s such a lovely character! This is one of those books that reminding me of that stage in my life when I was also clueless as to what I was going to do. I guess we all have that at some point in our lives. In general, I’d say that this was a pretty satisfying read. I’m not sure if it’s for everyone but it’s a fun read just the same.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
August 14, 2013
ARC was provided by Publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I am kinda conflicted as to what I should rate this. Because it not 4 stars for sure, but it was extremely entertaining. Too entertaining for 3 stars… then again I don't think it's quite 3.5 after long ups and downs….I settled for 3. It's a VERY good 3. And I think for lover of this genre, they will actually rate it much higher than I did. I had a few issues with the story line and some of the character building.
At first I was kinda wondering if that is going to be totally not my kind of book. I found the characters a bit annoying, because they were so cliche so ditzy. I crunched about most the first chapter actually. I was totally sure it will be the totally normal chick-lit and was dreading it. BUT thankfully I was wrong.
The entire book is written from Pia's POV and as I said the first chapter I just found her annoying. But she not only grew on me, I totally could identify with her. See I'm also a "halfling" except my mother hails from the Alps and my dad from the mediterranean Add to that that I've lived in 9 different countries and I totally get her insecurities. I loved how much Pia as a character grew. Also I love the relation ship between the girls. Burgess got that one down to a tee. The little jealousies, the wondering how much ones belongs and in the end though despite all differences one sticks together. Girlfriends with all their ups and downs.
While I loved the romance between Pia and Aiden and the fact that it wasn't your straight forward kinda thing, I found Pia's issues with her ex a bit over the top.
Oh and I absolutely absolutely adored the food truck part of this. Well up to when it suddenly got all solved. I found the solutions while sure satisfying not only predictable but also utterly over the top.
The writing style is definitely one of Burgess strongest points, I enjoyed her witty and fun writing immensely and for that reason alone I am definitely going to read the next installment of this series.
I am kinda conflicted as to what I should rate this. Because it not 4 stars for sure, but it was extremely entertaining. Too entertaining for 3 stars… then again I don't think it's quite 3.5 after long ups and downs….I settled for 3. It's a VERY good 3. And I think for lover of this genre, they will actually rate it much higher than I did. I had a few issues with the story line and some of the character building.
At first I was kinda wondering if that is going to be totally not my kind of book. I found the characters a bit annoying, because they were so cliche so ditzy. I crunched about most the first chapter actually. I was totally sure it will be the totally normal chick-lit and was dreading it. BUT thankfully I was wrong.
The entire book is written from Pia's POV and as I said the first chapter I just found her annoying. But she not only grew on me, I totally could identify with her. See I'm also a "halfling" except my mother hails from the Alps and my dad from the mediterranean Add to that that I've lived in 9 different countries and I totally get her insecurities. I loved how much Pia as a character grew. Also I love the relation ship between the girls. Burgess got that one down to a tee. The little jealousies, the wondering how much ones belongs and in the end though despite all differences one sticks together. Girlfriends with all their ups and downs.
While I loved the romance between Pia and Aiden and the fact that it wasn't your straight forward kinda thing, I found Pia's issues with her ex a bit over the top.
Oh and I absolutely absolutely adored the food truck part of this. Well up to when it suddenly got all solved. I found the solutions while sure satisfying not only predictable but also utterly over the top.
The writing style is definitely one of Burgess strongest points, I enjoyed her witty and fun writing immensely and for that reason alone I am definitely going to read the next installment of this series.
October 5, 2014
On the plus side, I was interested enough in this that I read this all in one sitting (minus a couple of breaks for things like fixing my mom's floss container for her). On the negative side, I called the main character an idiot a lot.
On the plus side, this is much more than kind of new adult book I'd like to see. That time after college graduation, when you just have no idea what you're doing and everything feels like a mess and not at all like you thought it would be. On the negative side, it made me feel bad about myself.
Everyone had jobs, they had a great friendship going, they had a place to live that wasn't with their parents. And, look, I get the way these books work and I get that everything was going to work out amazingly for the 22 year old main character who made dumb decisions and had a lot of luck, but I can't relate to that.
I have some interest in reading the next one, but I don't think I want to buy it and my library doesn't have it. I'd probably buy ones about Coco and Madeline.
On the plus side, this is much more than kind of new adult book I'd like to see. That time after college graduation, when you just have no idea what you're doing and everything feels like a mess and not at all like you thought it would be. On the negative side, it made me feel bad about myself.
Everyone had jobs, they had a great friendship going, they had a place to live that wasn't with their parents. And, look, I get the way these books work and I get that everything was going to work out amazingly for the 22 year old main character who made dumb decisions and had a lot of luck, but I can't relate to that.
I have some interest in reading the next one, but I don't think I want to buy it and my library doesn't have it. I'd probably buy ones about Coco and Madeline.
October 19, 2017
For a while there, I thought this was heading towards a DNF. But eventually the story picked up - once the bratty main character started showing some promise - and I quite enjoyed her storyline, though things got resolved a bit too easily. My favourite parts were Pia's group of girlfriends, and her endeavours with starting a food truck business.
July 16, 2013
I’d been hearing a lot of buzz and excitement around Brooklyn Girls before it was released, so I know it was eagerly anticipated, and although I had never read a book by Gemma Burgess before, I was very excited about starting it!
This is one of those books where you can’t just read a few pages and put it down – you just NEED to know what is going to happen next! I was completely hooked from the first page and it was a story that I did not want to be parted from! I finished the entire book in a day because it was just so brilliant, it is easily one of the best stories I have read recently!
The characters were fantastic, I loved each of them for their own little ways. Pia was perfectly written, I warmed to her instantly from reading her first words on the page. When I was reading I felt as though I was right inside her head with all of her thoughts and the way she put things across was excellent – it was like going back a few years to when I had entered my twenties and Pia saying everything that I could never in a million years have put into words! I came away from the novel desperately wanting to be Pia’s best friend, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I had spent with her.
I think what I liked most was how ‘real’ this book is. There are a lot of issues, life problems, friendship and fears explored in this story and it was very realistic and lifelike. Gemma Burgess doesn’t hold back – the characters swear, they make mistakes, they say what they think – and I love them for it. There were a lot of feelings and a few scenarios in there that I could relate to, especially scenes such as going to house parties and it being both disastrous and wild. I’m sure other readers will find they can relate to Pia and the other characters in some way too.
Brooklyn Girls is like a breath of fresh air, and a plunge into the lives of Pia and her friends – this story is truly a rollercoaster that you will want to get on! It is hilarious, gutsy, with characters you can really root for and it is a story that you will race through!
This is one of those books where you can’t just read a few pages and put it down – you just NEED to know what is going to happen next! I was completely hooked from the first page and it was a story that I did not want to be parted from! I finished the entire book in a day because it was just so brilliant, it is easily one of the best stories I have read recently!
The characters were fantastic, I loved each of them for their own little ways. Pia was perfectly written, I warmed to her instantly from reading her first words on the page. When I was reading I felt as though I was right inside her head with all of her thoughts and the way she put things across was excellent – it was like going back a few years to when I had entered my twenties and Pia saying everything that I could never in a million years have put into words! I came away from the novel desperately wanting to be Pia’s best friend, and I thoroughly enjoyed the time I had spent with her.
I think what I liked most was how ‘real’ this book is. There are a lot of issues, life problems, friendship and fears explored in this story and it was very realistic and lifelike. Gemma Burgess doesn’t hold back – the characters swear, they make mistakes, they say what they think – and I love them for it. There were a lot of feelings and a few scenarios in there that I could relate to, especially scenes such as going to house parties and it being both disastrous and wild. I’m sure other readers will find they can relate to Pia and the other characters in some way too.
Brooklyn Girls is like a breath of fresh air, and a plunge into the lives of Pia and her friends – this story is truly a rollercoaster that you will want to get on! It is hilarious, gutsy, with characters you can really root for and it is a story that you will race through!
July 5, 2013
Hmmmmm no fue taaaan malo, pero tampoco fue algo para recordar!
Predecible, inmaduro e ilógico algunas veces.
Lo que lo salvó del 1/5 fue que me sentí un poco identificada con la situación de Pia: recién graduada, sin trabajo y sin "futuro" (just like me D:). Además me gustó que fuera TAAAAAAN diferente a todo lo que hay en el género New Adult ahora... De vdd, ya estaba cansada de tantos wannabes de Travis Maddox y tanta chica buena, rica y virgen que se enamora de chico malo, bla, bla, bla *inserte aquí toda la basura estilo Beautiful Disaster*.... Y aunque me gustó que fuera diferente, no fue suficiente, porque la autora se vuelve un poco wild con todo esto del camión de comida y la historia se vuelve bastante irreal y un poco tipo novelón... Y aunque se supone que Pia "crece" como personaje, hmmmm, yo seguí viéndola como la drama queen y como una chica demasiado inmadura para su edad.
En general, fue fácil de leer pero esperaba un poco más de profundidad y realidad en la historia. Me interesó la forma de escribir de la autora, así que seguiré la serie... además me causan curiosidad las demás chicas.
*E-ARC obtenida a través de NetGalley*
Predecible, inmaduro e ilógico algunas veces.
Lo que lo salvó del 1/5 fue que me sentí un poco identificada con la situación de Pia: recién graduada, sin trabajo y sin "futuro" (just like me D:). Además me gustó que fuera TAAAAAAN diferente a todo lo que hay en el género New Adult ahora... De vdd, ya estaba cansada de tantos wannabes de Travis Maddox y tanta chica buena, rica y virgen que se enamora de chico malo, bla, bla, bla *inserte aquí toda la basura estilo Beautiful Disaster*.... Y aunque me gustó que fuera diferente, no fue suficiente, porque la autora se vuelve un poco wild con todo esto del camión de comida y la historia se vuelve bastante irreal y un poco tipo novelón... Y aunque se supone que Pia "crece" como personaje, hmmmm, yo seguí viéndola como la drama queen y como una chica demasiado inmadura para su edad.
En general, fue fácil de leer pero esperaba un poco más de profundidad y realidad en la historia. Me interesó la forma de escribir de la autora, así que seguiré la serie... además me causan curiosidad las demás chicas.
*E-ARC obtenida a través de NetGalley*
September 22, 2013
Finally, a book about twenty somethings who aren't solely motivated by the pursuit of men, though there are a few tossed in just to be real. Showing exactly how confusing it is to suddenly be considered as an adult when you may not feel or even be ready for that responsibility, "Brooklyn Girls" follows roommates as they struggle with money woes, the conundrum of not getting hired because you don't have the experience in the field yet or worse, taking jobs that are just entirely wrong and then trying to mold your personality to make those jobs work for you.
Pia is the likable, relatable main character of this work and her parents have threatened to cut off her funding and her life in New York if she doesn't miraculously prove to them that she is a responsible adult who doesn't make a job of quitting successive jobs. What I like about Pia the most is her grit and her willingness to try just about everything to make her adult life work. It may end up in loan shark dilemma's involving a food truck purchase and seem whacky, but don't toss it aside without a read. The dialogue of the characters is worth its weight. I promise, "cockmonkey."
Pia is the likable, relatable main character of this work and her parents have threatened to cut off her funding and her life in New York if she doesn't miraculously prove to them that she is a responsible adult who doesn't make a job of quitting successive jobs. What I like about Pia the most is her grit and her willingness to try just about everything to make her adult life work. It may end up in loan shark dilemma's involving a food truck purchase and seem whacky, but don't toss it aside without a read. The dialogue of the characters is worth its weight. I promise, "cockmonkey."
August 29, 2013
I grew so tired of the getting high, getting drunk, flipping off bosses, no regard for their jobs, lifestyle. The story was so far from the circumstances of reality, it should have its own genre of "narcissistic fantasy". I read the whole thing because I was waiting for the actual shoe of reality to drop. It seems the author was trying to create a SITC world, but in Brooklyn. The characters, however are pathetic and they don't have individual traits at all. The setting in Brooklyn is so limited, it's funny. It"s like the author know two streets, that's it. There's parts where Gowanus is feared, which is hilarious. There's a part where an address is given and called Park Slope, which is entirely wrong. I just don't know how the reader can possibly attach to any of the story or characters. I was very disappointed in this book.
September 9, 2013
I gave this book a fair chance (and to be honest with you I had no idea what it was about nor did it look like my kind of read) but after about 100 pages or so I gave up. There is just . . . I don't know . . . something lacking in this book.
While I usually enjoy stories with the whole "friends in the big city" kind of thing, where a lot of crazy things happen, but unfortunately I just can't get into this book whatsoever so I'm not going to finish it sadly. Still, I think many people may like this book despite what I thought about it and judging by the reviews the book has been receiving lately, there are many positive reviews out there . . . so who knows . . . you may actually love this book more than me.
In any case, thank you to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this book.
While I usually enjoy stories with the whole "friends in the big city" kind of thing, where a lot of crazy things happen, but unfortunately I just can't get into this book whatsoever so I'm not going to finish it sadly. Still, I think many people may like this book despite what I thought about it and judging by the reviews the book has been receiving lately, there are many positive reviews out there . . . so who knows . . . you may actually love this book more than me.
In any case, thank you to the publisher for providing me a review copy of this book.
September 9, 2014
Actual rating 4.5
Well, colour me surprised!
This was actually surprisingly cool and entertaining!
After the first few pages I was like - ugghhh what kind of annoying main character is this?!
But she remedies herself and I loved the whole plotline involving food trucks. Loved it!
Also, Brooklyn.
I'd love to continue this series!
Well, colour me surprised!
This was actually surprisingly cool and entertaining!
After the first few pages I was like - ugghhh what kind of annoying main character is this?!
But she remedies herself and I loved the whole plotline involving food trucks. Loved it!
Also, Brooklyn.
I'd love to continue this series!
November 6, 2015
Po dlhom čase som si užila písanie recenzie, nájdete ju na blogu: http://v-a-k-a-t.blogspot.sk/2015/11/...
Keď máte v dvadsiatke krízu stredného veku ako ja, tak táto kniha je presne to čo potrebujete! Zatiaľ len toľko, recenzia je na ceste. ;)
Keď máte v dvadsiatke krízu stredného veku ako ja, tak táto kniha je presne to čo potrebujete! Zatiaľ len toľko, recenzia je na ceste. ;)
March 5, 2015
Wat een fijn boek! Las heerlijk weg, superleuk en origineel verhaal. Heb enorm gelachen, maar ook mooi hoe de herkenbare ontwikkeling van de personages erin naar voren komt. Soms wel wat voorspelbaar of overdreven, maar dat stoorde niet.
December 14, 2014
To bolo niečo úžasné :D Niečo čo som práve teraz potrebovala, také na odreagovanie :D Proste úžasné :D
May 12, 2015
Recenzia na blogu-http://only-in-dreams.blog.cz/1505/ge...
August 27, 2017
Esta es la 1ra entrega de lo que asumo son 5 libros. Esto lo asumo porque una vez leído el segundo me doy cuenta que cada libro esta narrado bajo la "voz" de una de las amigas. En este primere libro conoces en 1ra persona a Pia, una chica "problematica" que con 23 años tiene una carrera pero no tiene trabajo (porque no logra mantener ninguno por mucho tiempo) y sus padres la amenazan con irla a buscar a Nueva York y llevársela con ellos.
Pia vive en una casa antigua en Brooklyn con sus mejores amigas: Angie, Madeleine, Coco y Julia. Todas tienen una característica que las define, algo que ya me veía venir porque realmente el libro es cliche tras cliche, comenzando por Pia y continuando con todas las amigas.
El caso es que ellas viven allí juntas, Pia se queda sin trabajo y comienza a desesperarse porque tiene que pagar su parte del alquiler de la casa donde viven en Brooklyn. Pia vive medio atormentada, ella jura que su vida es un desastre porque nadie cree en ella, porque no encaja en ningún sitio, porque parece que solo sabe irse de fiesta, etc.
De repente Pia se le prende el bombillo y decide comprarse un camión de comida. En ese camión ella quiere hacer algo "innovador" que nunca han visto en Nueva York: comida baja en grasas y sabrosa. (si, seguro es algo que nadie EN NUEVA YORK ha visto) y resulta que tiene éxito, a la gente le gusta y ella comienza a ganar dinero para demostrarle a sus padres que ella si es capaz de salir adelante, que no es una fracasada y que no tienen que seguir preocupándose por ella.
Realmente a Pia todo le sucede tan fácil que a veces provoca entrar en el libro y pegarle porque es bastante estúpida en algunos momentos, en vez de tener 22 años, parece una adolescente de 15 años en plena crisis existencial, durante casi toda el libro. La dinámica con sus compañeras de piso tampoco es tan... Interesante. Cada una tiene una personalidad diferente pero sorprendentemente ella le cae bien a todas, o casi.
Como ya deben adivinar, todo termina de maravilla para Pia, es mas, termina tan bien que sinceramente parece que todo es extremadamente rebuscado.
Es un libro bastante predecible, no solo con las situaciones por las que pasa la protagonista sino con los personajes, es terrible, hay un estereotipo tras estereotipo, una mezcla de todo lo cliché en el mundo.
Una novela que recomiendo solo ÚNICA Y EXCLUSIVAMENTE si no tienes nada en absoluto que leer,ni siquiera un panfleto de los que te dan en la calle, pero si tienes aunque sea un encartado del periódico para leer puedes abstenerte de leer esto.
PD: Soy masoquista y me leí el segundo. :-(
Pia vive en una casa antigua en Brooklyn con sus mejores amigas: Angie, Madeleine, Coco y Julia. Todas tienen una característica que las define, algo que ya me veía venir porque realmente el libro es cliche tras cliche, comenzando por Pia y continuando con todas las amigas.
El caso es que ellas viven allí juntas, Pia se queda sin trabajo y comienza a desesperarse porque tiene que pagar su parte del alquiler de la casa donde viven en Brooklyn. Pia vive medio atormentada, ella jura que su vida es un desastre porque nadie cree en ella, porque no encaja en ningún sitio, porque parece que solo sabe irse de fiesta, etc.
De repente Pia se le prende el bombillo y decide comprarse un camión de comida. En ese camión ella quiere hacer algo "innovador" que nunca han visto en Nueva York: comida baja en grasas y sabrosa. (si, seguro es algo que nadie EN NUEVA YORK ha visto) y resulta que tiene éxito, a la gente le gusta y ella comienza a ganar dinero para demostrarle a sus padres que ella si es capaz de salir adelante, que no es una fracasada y que no tienen que seguir preocupándose por ella.
Realmente a Pia todo le sucede tan fácil que a veces provoca entrar en el libro y pegarle porque es bastante estúpida en algunos momentos, en vez de tener 22 años, parece una adolescente de 15 años en plena crisis existencial, durante casi toda el libro. La dinámica con sus compañeras de piso tampoco es tan... Interesante. Cada una tiene una personalidad diferente pero sorprendentemente ella le cae bien a todas, o casi.
Como ya deben adivinar, todo termina de maravilla para Pia, es mas, termina tan bien que sinceramente parece que todo es extremadamente rebuscado.
Es un libro bastante predecible, no solo con las situaciones por las que pasa la protagonista sino con los personajes, es terrible, hay un estereotipo tras estereotipo, una mezcla de todo lo cliché en el mundo.
Una novela que recomiendo solo ÚNICA Y EXCLUSIVAMENTE si no tienes nada en absoluto que leer,ni siquiera un panfleto de los que te dan en la calle, pero si tienes aunque sea un encartado del periódico para leer puedes abstenerte de leer esto.
PD: Soy masoquista y me leí el segundo. :-(
July 24, 2013
I picked up Brooklyn Girls on a whim. I saw it mentioned in a few peoples' Waiting on Wednesdays one week, noticed that it was available through Netgalley, and just decided to request a copy. As much as I adore reading YA books, sometimes it's nice to read about characters slightly older than teens, characters that I can actually relate to in my life right now. I knew Brooklyn Girls was about a group of recent college grads living in Brooklyn and trying to figure out what they want from their lives. And hey — I can totally relate to the scary revelation that adulthood isn't quite like the idealized version promoted in college. Even after attending school for most of your life, it can be hard to decide, "okay, now this is what I want to do until I retire." While I generally prefer to read books that offer more escapism than this, I can't deny I was attracted to the idea of reading about characters who are going through similar situations to me right now.
Pia has recently graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor's degree in Art History and absolutely no real work experience. Through her parents' connections she's able to snag a job at a PR firm in New York City, and she rents an apartment in Brooklyn with four other girls. Angie is Pia's best friend pre-college, Julia and Madeleine attended college with Pia, and Coco is Julia's younger sister. With the exception of Coco, all of the girls are embarking on their first "real world" jobs with varying degrees of success.
After partying a little too hard at their housewarming party, Pia finds herself fired from her job. After one week. Her bad behavior in the past has caused her to get kicked out of two boarding schools, among other things, and Pia's parents have very little faith in their daughter's ability to live as an adult, so they offer her an ultimatum: if she's not gainfully employed within the next two months, then her parents will take her back to Zurich with them and find a job for her there. Pia doesn't want to leave her friends (not to mention live with her parents, with whom she doesn't get along well), and she eventually comes to the decision to start her own company: a food truck that serves low-fat, high-protein meals. As she and her friends come to realize through work, friendships, and relationships, however, nothing in the adult world is simple and everything comes with a cost.
Before I begin discussing the book itself, I need to mention the cover here. Cute and girly, right? There's a definite audience that the book is trying to target. But after reading the book I honestly have no idea who those cover models are supposed to be. The protagonist of Brooklyn Girls, Pia, is half-Swiss and half-Indian. She describes herself as having dark skin and green eyes, and is subjected to racist names like "Bollywood" and remarks on how people constantly ask her "where she's from." So clearly Pia our protagonist is not featured on the cover. Am I to think that those two girls are two of Pia's friends and roommates? Perhaps, but that doesn't make sense given that this is firmly Pia's story. Whitewashing a cover is not okay. I think the target audience could have been reached even by using a person of color for one of the cover models.
Where Brooklyn Girls really excels is in its depiction of the fear and uncertainty that accompany post-graduate life. None of the girls has any idea what she wants to do, not truly. Even Julia, who has worked so hard to get in the banking industry, is starting to realize that she really doesn't know whether she wants to spend the rest of her life working long hours with little reward. Post-graduation is a tricky time, and the girls are struggling to strike a balance among friendships, relationships, work, and hobbies. It's definitely a struggle that I can relate to, which I appreciated.
Another wonderful aspect of this novel was how much the focus is on female friendships. Sure, the girls go out in the attempt of finding a guy, sleep around, and discuss romance, but at the end of the day Pia, Julia, Coco, Madeleine, and Angie all return home to their apartment to be with each other. As Pia thinks at one point, they've become like a family. Misunderstanding and prejudices aside, it's clear they really do care for another, and it's a refreshing message to read.
I found it much easier to relate to Julia and Madeleine, the overachievers and driven girls of the group, so it was an interesting experience to read a story told from Pia's perspective. Pia, the party girl who is confident in all things interpersonal but is a mess internally. Years of parental indifference/disappointment, as well as a particularly painful breakup, have contributed to Pia's vices and constant belittling of herself. On one hand, it is hard not to feel a sense of sympathy for Pia. The pretty, rich girl isn't nearly as composed as she likes to appear. On the other hand, it was incredibly stressful being inside of Pia's head. Pia has no work ethics and her impulsive nature causes her to get in trouble again and again.
Since no employers or employment agencies are willing to give Pia a chance, she does take initiative and purchase a food truck, and noting the lack of healthy to-go lunch options for New Yorkers, creates the company SkinnyWheels. I think that Burgess wants her readers to be on board with Pia's decision, but most of the time I just found myself wincing. She's just so naive and it was painful to read about many of the blunders she makes as she tries to start her own business; funny, but painful. Think of Becky Bloomwood's impulsive nature from the Shopaholic series and multiply it by ten and you can understand what I mean. For every step forward, Pia takes three backwards. She finds herself bound in an agreement with a loan shark. She earns a good profit one week and then blows it all on gifts and alcohol. I get that this story is about her personal growth (which does gradually occur), but Pia is just so unlike me in every way imaginable that I couldn't help judging many of her (poor) decisions.
What I expected from this novel was a combination between a work of chick lit and a deeper contemporary work. While the novel definitely does deliver those aspects, I still finished the book feeling not quite satisfied. I think a large part of my dissatisfaction stems from the fact that not only did I have difficulties relating to Pia, but many of her decisions made me downright uncomfortable. Still, there are plenty of light and fluffy aspects to balance out the story. I loved Pia's determination and drive when it came to SkinnyWheels, and found it to be a quick read. My understanding is that this will be part of a series, with each installment focusing on another roommate. I'm somewhat intrigued but will wait to learn more about the next book before deciding whether to continue with this story.
Pia has recently graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor's degree in Art History and absolutely no real work experience. Through her parents' connections she's able to snag a job at a PR firm in New York City, and she rents an apartment in Brooklyn with four other girls. Angie is Pia's best friend pre-college, Julia and Madeleine attended college with Pia, and Coco is Julia's younger sister. With the exception of Coco, all of the girls are embarking on their first "real world" jobs with varying degrees of success.
After partying a little too hard at their housewarming party, Pia finds herself fired from her job. After one week. Her bad behavior in the past has caused her to get kicked out of two boarding schools, among other things, and Pia's parents have very little faith in their daughter's ability to live as an adult, so they offer her an ultimatum: if she's not gainfully employed within the next two months, then her parents will take her back to Zurich with them and find a job for her there. Pia doesn't want to leave her friends (not to mention live with her parents, with whom she doesn't get along well), and she eventually comes to the decision to start her own company: a food truck that serves low-fat, high-protein meals. As she and her friends come to realize through work, friendships, and relationships, however, nothing in the adult world is simple and everything comes with a cost.
Before I begin discussing the book itself, I need to mention the cover here. Cute and girly, right? There's a definite audience that the book is trying to target. But after reading the book I honestly have no idea who those cover models are supposed to be. The protagonist of Brooklyn Girls, Pia, is half-Swiss and half-Indian. She describes herself as having dark skin and green eyes, and is subjected to racist names like "Bollywood" and remarks on how people constantly ask her "where she's from." So clearly Pia our protagonist is not featured on the cover. Am I to think that those two girls are two of Pia's friends and roommates? Perhaps, but that doesn't make sense given that this is firmly Pia's story. Whitewashing a cover is not okay. I think the target audience could have been reached even by using a person of color for one of the cover models.
Where Brooklyn Girls really excels is in its depiction of the fear and uncertainty that accompany post-graduate life. None of the girls has any idea what she wants to do, not truly. Even Julia, who has worked so hard to get in the banking industry, is starting to realize that she really doesn't know whether she wants to spend the rest of her life working long hours with little reward. Post-graduation is a tricky time, and the girls are struggling to strike a balance among friendships, relationships, work, and hobbies. It's definitely a struggle that I can relate to, which I appreciated.
Another wonderful aspect of this novel was how much the focus is on female friendships. Sure, the girls go out in the attempt of finding a guy, sleep around, and discuss romance, but at the end of the day Pia, Julia, Coco, Madeleine, and Angie all return home to their apartment to be with each other. As Pia thinks at one point, they've become like a family. Misunderstanding and prejudices aside, it's clear they really do care for another, and it's a refreshing message to read.
I found it much easier to relate to Julia and Madeleine, the overachievers and driven girls of the group, so it was an interesting experience to read a story told from Pia's perspective. Pia, the party girl who is confident in all things interpersonal but is a mess internally. Years of parental indifference/disappointment, as well as a particularly painful breakup, have contributed to Pia's vices and constant belittling of herself. On one hand, it is hard not to feel a sense of sympathy for Pia. The pretty, rich girl isn't nearly as composed as she likes to appear. On the other hand, it was incredibly stressful being inside of Pia's head. Pia has no work ethics and her impulsive nature causes her to get in trouble again and again.
Since no employers or employment agencies are willing to give Pia a chance, she does take initiative and purchase a food truck, and noting the lack of healthy to-go lunch options for New Yorkers, creates the company SkinnyWheels. I think that Burgess wants her readers to be on board with Pia's decision, but most of the time I just found myself wincing. She's just so naive and it was painful to read about many of the blunders she makes as she tries to start her own business; funny, but painful. Think of Becky Bloomwood's impulsive nature from the Shopaholic series and multiply it by ten and you can understand what I mean. For every step forward, Pia takes three backwards. She finds herself bound in an agreement with a loan shark. She earns a good profit one week and then blows it all on gifts and alcohol. I get that this story is about her personal growth (which does gradually occur), but Pia is just so unlike me in every way imaginable that I couldn't help judging many of her (poor) decisions.
What I expected from this novel was a combination between a work of chick lit and a deeper contemporary work. While the novel definitely does deliver those aspects, I still finished the book feeling not quite satisfied. I think a large part of my dissatisfaction stems from the fact that not only did I have difficulties relating to Pia, but many of her decisions made me downright uncomfortable. Still, there are plenty of light and fluffy aspects to balance out the story. I loved Pia's determination and drive when it came to SkinnyWheels, and found it to be a quick read. My understanding is that this will be part of a series, with each installment focusing on another roommate. I'm somewhat intrigued but will wait to learn more about the next book before deciding whether to continue with this story.
March 23, 2017
Un «meh» bien sólido. No me gusta esa etiqueta de «chick-lit» —la mayoría de los epítetos para la literatura escrita por mujeres y/o para mujeres tiene cierto eco despectivo—, pero Chicas de Brooklyn es una novela que abraza las peores cualidades de la etiqueta: oscila entre lo genérico y lo estereotípico y tropieza continuamente con su propio ethos hasta convertirse en un amasijo narrativo sin rasgo distinguible alguno. Sus únicas raíces parecen ser la juventud y lo femenino, y esto último no es más que una colección de nociones de género un tanto rancias. Meh.
February 2, 2020
Boozinku, to je take stupidne 😜. To takto naozaj niekto zije??? Ta Pia je take velke 23 rocne decko....jej zivot jedna velka katastrofa, za co si moze sama. Bolo to take divne vsetko, chaoticke, ale kedze tato seria je pribeh 5 kamaratok, dam jej este sancu. Pia ma neoslovila, ale dalsi diel je o jej kamoske Angie...a to je teda zjav...na nu som fakt zvedava. Tak uvidim, ci s tym nakoniec neseknem 😂.
April 14, 2024
I was expecting something fun but this was a mess. Nothing was realistic about this story. It was plot driven and the plot was so dumb. I would have rather read a character driven book about the girls but none of them were developed enough to be different people. There were way too many characters. 6 girls in the house plus all their love interests plus the neighbors and the people Pia meets through her business ventures.
Read
April 10, 2022DNF at pg 60
Knihe som dávala niekoľko šancí a tentokrát som sa dostala asi najďalej, ale... Nedokázala som sa začítať. Pritom autorkin štýl je svieži, ale príbeh ma nechytil ani nezaujal. Nedivím sa, že sériu nedovydávali :( niečo tomu chýbalo a miestami mi to prišlo veľmi chaotické a "střeštěné", aby to bolo uveriteľné.
Knihe som dávala niekoľko šancí a tentokrát som sa dostala asi najďalej, ale... Nedokázala som sa začítať. Pritom autorkin štýl je svieži, ale príbeh ma nechytil ani nezaujal. Nedivím sa, že sériu nedovydávali :( niečo tomu chýbalo a miestami mi to prišlo veľmi chaotické a "střeštěné", aby to bolo uveriteľné.
July 15, 2013
This is the first book in a series and concentrated on the character Pia, one of the five girls who live together in Brooklyn, New York. Along with Pia there is Julia, Angie, Maddy and Coco – all twenty something graduates working in the real world for the first time. To start with, I really liked the set-up of this book. As a recent graduate myself, I know all too well what it’s like to leave university and have expectations put upon you. Pia especially gets a lot of pressure from her parents who live abroad to make something of herself and to be successful in the workplace.
Although this book does focus mainly on Pia, the other girls are all a big part of her story. The group of friends are extremely close and if something bad happens, all of them get involved. Some of the girls I liked more than others though. Pia is a really fun girl to read about due to the kinds of things that she gets up to. She’s a pretty fun loving character who likes to go out and have a good time – what 22 year old doesn’t? I really enjoyed following the girls and their antics because they reminded me of a time where I was going out all of the time and going a bit crazy.
The plot follows Pia as she gets fired from one job and realises that she needs to sort her life out quickly. This book has a fun and interesting plot which I enjoyed a lot. Pia ends up buying an old food truck on a whim and has to make it work for her and her lifestyle. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments throughout this book due to the situations that Pia gets herself into. At the same time as figuring out a new career, there are a few love interests which was a nice addition. However, romance is not the main focus of this book which made for a refreshing change.
What I loved about this book was that it was real. Gemma Burgess doesn’t write fluffy love stories and happy endings but instead, she writes about the problems of real people. Pia has realised that she majored in a subject that is completely useless and she’s unemployable. She has no experience, no goals and no drive whatsoever. Being an adult and living away from parents means having to feed yourself, pay the bill and the rent and all of these subjects are tackled really well. There is a great mix of important issues along with some really entertaining events going on.
While I did enjoy the majority of this book, there were a few things that bugged me. The language used between the group of friends was annoying as hell. I get that they’re all young and want to use ‘cool’ words but some of it was far too much for me. If you’ve read this yourself then you’ll probably know which words I’m talking about. Also, the girls have ridiculous nicknames for themselves which I absolutely could not stand. It was all a bit childish and didn’t make the characters seem cool at all.
Even with the annoying language, this was a pretty fun book to read. There’s plenty going on, interesting characters and it is also funny. I’m looking forward to reading more about these Brooklyn Girls and I hope each of them get their own story.
Although this book does focus mainly on Pia, the other girls are all a big part of her story. The group of friends are extremely close and if something bad happens, all of them get involved. Some of the girls I liked more than others though. Pia is a really fun girl to read about due to the kinds of things that she gets up to. She’s a pretty fun loving character who likes to go out and have a good time – what 22 year old doesn’t? I really enjoyed following the girls and their antics because they reminded me of a time where I was going out all of the time and going a bit crazy.
The plot follows Pia as she gets fired from one job and realises that she needs to sort her life out quickly. This book has a fun and interesting plot which I enjoyed a lot. Pia ends up buying an old food truck on a whim and has to make it work for her and her lifestyle. There were plenty of laugh out loud moments throughout this book due to the situations that Pia gets herself into. At the same time as figuring out a new career, there are a few love interests which was a nice addition. However, romance is not the main focus of this book which made for a refreshing change.
What I loved about this book was that it was real. Gemma Burgess doesn’t write fluffy love stories and happy endings but instead, she writes about the problems of real people. Pia has realised that she majored in a subject that is completely useless and she’s unemployable. She has no experience, no goals and no drive whatsoever. Being an adult and living away from parents means having to feed yourself, pay the bill and the rent and all of these subjects are tackled really well. There is a great mix of important issues along with some really entertaining events going on.
While I did enjoy the majority of this book, there were a few things that bugged me. The language used between the group of friends was annoying as hell. I get that they’re all young and want to use ‘cool’ words but some of it was far too much for me. If you’ve read this yourself then you’ll probably know which words I’m talking about. Also, the girls have ridiculous nicknames for themselves which I absolutely could not stand. It was all a bit childish and didn’t make the characters seem cool at all.
Even with the annoying language, this was a pretty fun book to read. There’s plenty going on, interesting characters and it is also funny. I’m looking forward to reading more about these Brooklyn Girls and I hope each of them get their own story.
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