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Gloss #1
Gloss
New York, 1963. Fashion, music and attitudes are changing, and there's nowhere in in the world more exciting. Sherry, Donna, Allison and Pamela have each landed a dream internship at Gloss; America’s number-one fashion magazine. Each girl is trying to make her mark on 1960s New York and each finds herself thrown head-first into the buzzing world of celebrity, high-end fashion and gossip. But everything isn’t as glamorous as it seems - secrets from the past threaten to shatter their dreams. They're finding out that romance in New York is as unpredictable and thrilling as the city itself. Perfect for teenage fans of Mad Men, Ugly Betty, The Devil Wears Prada and Sex in the City.
401 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2013
4 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Marilyn Kaye
155 books431 followersI was born in New Britain, Connecticut, and grew up in Atlanta, Georgia. I also spent a year (5th grade) in Montgomery, Alabama, and a year in Ann Arbor, Michigan(8th grade). As a child, I always wanted to be a writer, but I had lots of other ambitions too. I wanted to be a teacher, a librarian, a movie star, the president of the United States, and a ballerina.
I didn't achieve all my goals. I never became a movie star, the president of the U.S., or a ballerina. But I've been a teacher and a librarian and most of all, a writer. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always kept a diary. I wrote poems, stories, plays, songs and lots of letters. Writing wasn't easy for me, but it felt natural and right.
I've always read a lot, too. I was an English major at Emory University (I love Shakespeare), and I also received a master's degree in library science at Emory. I earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Chicago, and I taught children's and teen literature at St. John's University in New York for over 20 years. Now, I'm a full-time writer, living in Paris, France - the most beautiful city in the world.
I didn't achieve all my goals. I never became a movie star, the president of the U.S., or a ballerina. But I've been a teacher and a librarian and most of all, a writer. I've been writing for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always kept a diary. I wrote poems, stories, plays, songs and lots of letters. Writing wasn't easy for me, but it felt natural and right.
I've always read a lot, too. I was an English major at Emory University (I love Shakespeare), and I also received a master's degree in library science at Emory. I earned a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Chicago, and I taught children's and teen literature at St. John's University in New York for over 20 years. Now, I'm a full-time writer, living in Paris, France - the most beautiful city in the world.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 29, 2013
GLOSS was a seriously great read. I requested a copy because it looked like a really good introduction for me to a genre I don’t normally read. I wasn’t quite sure if I would enjoy something that wasn’t fantasy/set in the modern era, but GLOSS was brilliant!
The story started off with Sherry, the first of the four new interns at the 60’s fashion magazine, GLOSS. I didn’t really like her character from the first chapter. She was portrayed as the kind of girl who was popular, and a bit of a show-off. However, as I got to know her a bit more throughout the story, I grew to like her much more. The same went for Pamela, another intern. The other two protagonists, Alison and Donna, I really liked straightaway because of their unique personalities that made them different to the other glamour-loving GLOSS interns. All four main characters were likeable once I’d gotten to know them. I felt sympathy for them and they really did feel like real, three-dimensional people that lived off of the ages. They all had brilliantly developed backgrounds that were just so realistic- one especially was terrifying. Everything about them was in detail, also the author has written their stories perfectly. The novel’s focuses were shared out equally between the four interns with chapters that had switching between characters.
I think the idea was really great, and there’s really not anything like it on YA store bookshelves at the moment. The story is set in 1963, where fashions are changing rapidly and four teenage interns are about to start summer working at the offices of GLOSS, the biggest teenage fashion magazine of the decade. I’ve never really ever come across Young Adult books set in the sixties, despite it being a pivotal decade for teenagers. GLOSS has captured the era perfectly and effectively. It’s the perfect setting for the characters and the plot. The offices are in New York City, where each of the girls have their own place of interest to explore. I think that the setting was really effective because the four teenagers discovered so much about the city that never sleeps- the good and the bad aspects.
The plot played out really well, and I enjoyed it so much. The plot covered teenage love life, sixties fashion, journalism, and so much more in a brilliant story-line. I think that the flashbacks to Donna’s past were really gripping and moving. They added a kind of haunting hint of nostalgia to a bit of the plot. The other events played out really well. Many parts were very shocking and unpredictable- a lot of things were going on at once between all four characters but I think that just pulled me in and kept me reading.
Overall, GLOSS was such a great read, and I’d really recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction and real-life dramas. At some points, it felt modern. At others, it was like a flashback to the most brilliant musical, fashionable moments of the nineteen-sixties. The whole story, I think, was probably really hard to pull off- four different girl’s separate adventures in one book could have easily been confusing and too jam-packed for a single novel. However, I think Marilyn Kaye has written the book really, really exceptionally well. From a teenager’s point of view, it was uplifting, gripping, and shocking all at once. I loved all of the characters, especially Donna, and I was thinking about them long after I put the book down. A great read for teenage girls with an interest in vintage fashion or pursuing a journalism career!
The story started off with Sherry, the first of the four new interns at the 60’s fashion magazine, GLOSS. I didn’t really like her character from the first chapter. She was portrayed as the kind of girl who was popular, and a bit of a show-off. However, as I got to know her a bit more throughout the story, I grew to like her much more. The same went for Pamela, another intern. The other two protagonists, Alison and Donna, I really liked straightaway because of their unique personalities that made them different to the other glamour-loving GLOSS interns. All four main characters were likeable once I’d gotten to know them. I felt sympathy for them and they really did feel like real, three-dimensional people that lived off of the ages. They all had brilliantly developed backgrounds that were just so realistic- one especially was terrifying. Everything about them was in detail, also the author has written their stories perfectly. The novel’s focuses were shared out equally between the four interns with chapters that had switching between characters.
I think the idea was really great, and there’s really not anything like it on YA store bookshelves at the moment. The story is set in 1963, where fashions are changing rapidly and four teenage interns are about to start summer working at the offices of GLOSS, the biggest teenage fashion magazine of the decade. I’ve never really ever come across Young Adult books set in the sixties, despite it being a pivotal decade for teenagers. GLOSS has captured the era perfectly and effectively. It’s the perfect setting for the characters and the plot. The offices are in New York City, where each of the girls have their own place of interest to explore. I think that the setting was really effective because the four teenagers discovered so much about the city that never sleeps- the good and the bad aspects.
The plot played out really well, and I enjoyed it so much. The plot covered teenage love life, sixties fashion, journalism, and so much more in a brilliant story-line. I think that the flashbacks to Donna’s past were really gripping and moving. They added a kind of haunting hint of nostalgia to a bit of the plot. The other events played out really well. Many parts were very shocking and unpredictable- a lot of things were going on at once between all four characters but I think that just pulled me in and kept me reading.
Overall, GLOSS was such a great read, and I’d really recommend it to fans of contemporary fiction and real-life dramas. At some points, it felt modern. At others, it was like a flashback to the most brilliant musical, fashionable moments of the nineteen-sixties. The whole story, I think, was probably really hard to pull off- four different girl’s separate adventures in one book could have easily been confusing and too jam-packed for a single novel. However, I think Marilyn Kaye has written the book really, really exceptionally well. From a teenager’s point of view, it was uplifting, gripping, and shocking all at once. I loved all of the characters, especially Donna, and I was thinking about them long after I put the book down. A great read for teenage girls with an interest in vintage fashion or pursuing a journalism career!
January 20, 2023
Definately a teen story, but good nonetheless. The premise was good, the characters grew throughout the story and I was glad they didn't lose their independence and spark.
March 20, 2018
Already explained in the second book. I was able to know the whole background so yeah.
September 3, 2019
3.5 Stars
Set in the early 1960s this book does a good job of eliciting the general mood of the era and how dramatically things were beginning to change in the Western World. Teenagers are a relatively new phenomenon and this book follows the exploits of four very disparate girls over one summer. The only thing they have in common is that they each managed to earn their place on a New York internship at a prestigious teen magazine, the titular Gloss.
Yes, the characters are caricatures of a type but for good reason, allowing the author to show the prevalent attitudes of the time both to women in the workforce but also the pressures brought to bear on the girls who are straddling the line between what their parents and traditional society expects and the new horizons and opportunities that are opening up to them.
Allison is the Beatnik type. All black clothes, wants to subvert the whole ethos of the magazine and figures the best way to do this is by joining the program. Although she thinks herself a progressive she is a product of her sheltered wealthy upbringing and when she meets Sam her head is turned by his good lucks and what she thinks are wise pronouncements on the Human Condition.
Pamela is a blonde bombshell. Tight dresses and glamourous makeup she is determined to follow the guidance in Sex And The Single Girl and is sure she can have the grand love affair without damaging herself. After being coerced in to a make over by the magazine team she meets the man of her dreams and seems willing to entirely mould herself in to the image of femininity that he seems to expect.
Donna is "Trailer Trash". Her back story is particularly tragic and I won't spoil it by going in to detail here as it does take a while to be drawn out in the book but it is worth waiting for. Of the four main characters she is probably the one we know least about but she is the most realistic sounding one as she doesn't hide behind a facade, she just tries to keep a very low profile so she can go completely unnoticed.
Sherry is the traditional Southern Belle. Coming from a wealthy family with a boyfriend back home that she has already got major life plans with; right down to which sorority she will join at College, when she will get lavaliered, engaged and married to her beau. She has a rather rigid view of life and for her this internship is a real wake up call that lets her see how sheltered her world view is and also that she has an apparent journalistic talent.
It is undoubtedly a nice easy read that gives a pretty good insight in to a very different and forgotten world. The only thing that really irritated me was that for a bunch of 18 year olds they do seem very innocent and naive. Although I wasn't around during this period I am pretty sure they would have been more clued up than this. Still, it works against the misogyny in the workplace and the rather 1950s attitudes expressed in the magazine.
THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLISHER.
Set in the early 1960s this book does a good job of eliciting the general mood of the era and how dramatically things were beginning to change in the Western World. Teenagers are a relatively new phenomenon and this book follows the exploits of four very disparate girls over one summer. The only thing they have in common is that they each managed to earn their place on a New York internship at a prestigious teen magazine, the titular Gloss.
Yes, the characters are caricatures of a type but for good reason, allowing the author to show the prevalent attitudes of the time both to women in the workforce but also the pressures brought to bear on the girls who are straddling the line between what their parents and traditional society expects and the new horizons and opportunities that are opening up to them.
Allison is the Beatnik type. All black clothes, wants to subvert the whole ethos of the magazine and figures the best way to do this is by joining the program. Although she thinks herself a progressive she is a product of her sheltered wealthy upbringing and when she meets Sam her head is turned by his good lucks and what she thinks are wise pronouncements on the Human Condition.
Pamela is a blonde bombshell. Tight dresses and glamourous makeup she is determined to follow the guidance in Sex And The Single Girl and is sure she can have the grand love affair without damaging herself. After being coerced in to a make over by the magazine team she meets the man of her dreams and seems willing to entirely mould herself in to the image of femininity that he seems to expect.
Donna is "Trailer Trash". Her back story is particularly tragic and I won't spoil it by going in to detail here as it does take a while to be drawn out in the book but it is worth waiting for. Of the four main characters she is probably the one we know least about but she is the most realistic sounding one as she doesn't hide behind a facade, she just tries to keep a very low profile so she can go completely unnoticed.
Sherry is the traditional Southern Belle. Coming from a wealthy family with a boyfriend back home that she has already got major life plans with; right down to which sorority she will join at College, when she will get lavaliered, engaged and married to her beau. She has a rather rigid view of life and for her this internship is a real wake up call that lets her see how sheltered her world view is and also that she has an apparent journalistic talent.
It is undoubtedly a nice easy read that gives a pretty good insight in to a very different and forgotten world. The only thing that really irritated me was that for a bunch of 18 year olds they do seem very innocent and naive. Although I wasn't around during this period I am pretty sure they would have been more clued up than this. Still, it works against the misogyny in the workplace and the rather 1950s attitudes expressed in the magazine.
THIS IS AN HONEST REVIEW OF A FREE COPY OF THE BOOK RECEIVED FROM THE PUBLISHER.
August 13, 2018
I LOVED this book so much, I read it very quickly and felt very attached to the characters. I really enjoyed the story and will be looking to get the next book in the series!
September 18, 2018
Cute book and a quick read. Some of the storylines are predictable.
July 14, 2019
Book was alright. Goodreads has the book being 304 pages but that's not right my trade paperback book has 394 pages lol
October 18, 2023
3,6 ganske kjedelig i starten, men eg elska slutten
July 11, 2013
Originally posted on www.serendipityreviews.co.uk
I thought it would make a refreshing change to read a YA book set in the sixties until I witnessed my feministic side roar into life. You have a group of young female interns at the magazine Gloss, who are on that well travelled road from child to adult. Within this book they face a hell of a lot of sexism which I can understand was probably normal behaviour in the early 60’s but as a reader it was frustrating to read. The way the girls get treated individually by some of the men is so annoying at times, I found myself shouting at the book. I didn’t realise how hard it was from women during the 60’s, I thought society had been more liberated then. This book made me think of Sex In The City in the 60’s. Although Carrie and her friends would’ve kicked butt!
The story in told from multiple viewpoints all in third person, so you get to see each girl’s trials and tribulations as they take on a very male world publishing even though the magazines were aimed at women and young girls. Each girl is rather innocent when it comes to love and each falls for a different type of cad, quickly realising that there is more to life than settling down with a good husband. I didn’t understand why only one girl’s back story was written about more than the others and I would’ve liked to see each girl’s past in more detail.
As I continued to read the book, I couldn’t help but have a strong sense of The Brady Bunch. Sherry could actually have been Marsha Brady to begin with, until she morphed into a female journalist who would sit happily in modern day society.
I really enjoyed the setting. Considering I have a life long desire to visit New York, it had me drooling at the mention of famous restaurants, bars and tourist destinations. The author managed to contrast the glitzy side of life with the realistic one.
This book was an interesting read and itt does give a good view of how women were treated during the 60’s. It would probably appeal to the Gossip Girl fans who don’t mind dipping their toes into a bit of nostalgia.
I thought it would make a refreshing change to read a YA book set in the sixties until I witnessed my feministic side roar into life. You have a group of young female interns at the magazine Gloss, who are on that well travelled road from child to adult. Within this book they face a hell of a lot of sexism which I can understand was probably normal behaviour in the early 60’s but as a reader it was frustrating to read. The way the girls get treated individually by some of the men is so annoying at times, I found myself shouting at the book. I didn’t realise how hard it was from women during the 60’s, I thought society had been more liberated then. This book made me think of Sex In The City in the 60’s. Although Carrie and her friends would’ve kicked butt!
The story in told from multiple viewpoints all in third person, so you get to see each girl’s trials and tribulations as they take on a very male world publishing even though the magazines were aimed at women and young girls. Each girl is rather innocent when it comes to love and each falls for a different type of cad, quickly realising that there is more to life than settling down with a good husband. I didn’t understand why only one girl’s back story was written about more than the others and I would’ve liked to see each girl’s past in more detail.
As I continued to read the book, I couldn’t help but have a strong sense of The Brady Bunch. Sherry could actually have been Marsha Brady to begin with, until she morphed into a female journalist who would sit happily in modern day society.
I really enjoyed the setting. Considering I have a life long desire to visit New York, it had me drooling at the mention of famous restaurants, bars and tourist destinations. The author managed to contrast the glitzy side of life with the realistic one.
This book was an interesting read and itt does give a good view of how women were treated during the 60’s. It would probably appeal to the Gossip Girl fans who don’t mind dipping their toes into a bit of nostalgia.
June 16, 2013
'Gloss' is set in New York, 1963, where four girls have the opportunity of a lifetime to make their mark at the offices of a fashion magazine. If you ever fancied interning at Teen Vogue or dream of becoming a fashion journalist then this book will be right up your street.
Each of the four girls in the story: Pamela, Allison, Sherry and Donna, are very different and unique. I liked Sherry who seems to take just about everything in her stride but I particularly enjoyed the chapters flashing back to Donna's life a year before. She was my favourite and I thought it was great how she really matured into her own person by the end of the book. I enjoyed the sense of excitement and anticipation that emanates from each of them. They have an incredible opportunity to learn, grow and stretch their wings in New York of all places.
I absolutely loved the setting. I adored the back-drop of the Big Apple and I thought the idea of writing a story set in the sixties worked perfectly because it showed how different the attitudes to women were at that time and how they were not seen as career women but as belonging to the domestic sphere. Sherry is a good example of this. She has her whole future mapped out for her - go to college, marry her childhood sweetheart, become a wife and mother - until she begins to discover that there may be other things out there for her too. She has unwittingly conformed to others expectations but her eyes are well and truly opened during her tenure at the Gloss offices. It was also interesting to see how men treated women in the sixties and how they didn't necessarily value a woman's' ideas in the same way they would a man.
This was a good and fairly quick read combining several of the things I love - New York, fashion and journalism, with a unique historical fiction twist.
Each of the four girls in the story: Pamela, Allison, Sherry and Donna, are very different and unique. I liked Sherry who seems to take just about everything in her stride but I particularly enjoyed the chapters flashing back to Donna's life a year before. She was my favourite and I thought it was great how she really matured into her own person by the end of the book. I enjoyed the sense of excitement and anticipation that emanates from each of them. They have an incredible opportunity to learn, grow and stretch their wings in New York of all places.
I absolutely loved the setting. I adored the back-drop of the Big Apple and I thought the idea of writing a story set in the sixties worked perfectly because it showed how different the attitudes to women were at that time and how they were not seen as career women but as belonging to the domestic sphere. Sherry is a good example of this. She has her whole future mapped out for her - go to college, marry her childhood sweetheart, become a wife and mother - until she begins to discover that there may be other things out there for her too. She has unwittingly conformed to others expectations but her eyes are well and truly opened during her tenure at the Gloss offices. It was also interesting to see how men treated women in the sixties and how they didn't necessarily value a woman's' ideas in the same way they would a man.
This was a good and fairly quick read combining several of the things I love - New York, fashion and journalism, with a unique historical fiction twist.
October 14, 2013
(From www.pingwings.ca)
I was drawn to this book because of its cute cover, and I liked the sound of a story set in New York in the early 60s. Fun!
Here is the Goodreads summary:
I really enjoyed the setting, and loved reading about the styles and music of New York at that time. It was also interesting to read about the different opinions the characters had at that time about things like women in the workplace.
The four girls – Sherry, Donna, Allison, Pamela – came from very different backgrounds but were, in their own ways, naive about life in New York, and even their own futures. Part of the fun of this book was seeing their beliefs and expectations challenged and, in some cases, changed over the course of the story.
Unfortunately I didn’t really feel like I got to know any of the characters very well. The girls seemed flat and I didn’t really feel that I connected to any of the girls.
The ending was a bit too neat and tidy for me. But if you like happy endings, with all loose ends cleared up, you’ll be pleased. This was a light, fun, fluffy read that was fairly enjoyable. I didn’t love it but for those looking for some light romance and a fun setting, I recommend this book.
I was drawn to this book because of its cute cover, and I liked the sound of a story set in New York in the early 60s. Fun!
Here is the Goodreads summary:
New York, 1963. Fashion, music and attitudes are changing, and there’s nowhere in in the world more exciting. Sherry, Donna, Allison and Pamela have each landed a dream internship at Gloss; America’s number-one fashion magazine.
Each girl is trying to make her mark on New York and each finds herself thrown head-first into the buzzing world of celebrity, high-end fashion and gossip. But everything isn’t as glamorous as it seems – secrets from the past threaten to shatter their dreams.
They’re finding out that romance in New York is as unpredictable and thrilling as the city itself.
I really enjoyed the setting, and loved reading about the styles and music of New York at that time. It was also interesting to read about the different opinions the characters had at that time about things like women in the workplace.
The four girls – Sherry, Donna, Allison, Pamela – came from very different backgrounds but were, in their own ways, naive about life in New York, and even their own futures. Part of the fun of this book was seeing their beliefs and expectations challenged and, in some cases, changed over the course of the story.
Unfortunately I didn’t really feel like I got to know any of the characters very well. The girls seemed flat and I didn’t really feel that I connected to any of the girls.
The ending was a bit too neat and tidy for me. But if you like happy endings, with all loose ends cleared up, you’ll be pleased. This was a light, fun, fluffy read that was fairly enjoyable. I didn’t love it but for those looking for some light romance and a fun setting, I recommend this book.
July 26, 2016
What I love about Gloss by Marilyn Kaye is that it’s set in sixties New York, a time period I haven’t come across much, if at all, in YA fiction. It follows the intertwining stories of four young girls as they start their summer internships at a magazine called Gloss. While some of them have their lives mapped out, others’ futures look hazy at best. None of them know that interning at Gloss will change them forever.
Sherry Ann is very much the typical good girl who follows all the rules. But after the future that looked so certain, crashes around her, she slowly but surely evolves into a strong woman. Pamela only wants to have a good time in New York, but she’s a young girl trying to act much older than she is. I really wanted to shake Allison. She seemed like a smart enough girl but she made a lot of wrong choices. Donna’s story was incredibly sad but a tale a lot of other girls would have also gone through and still do.
I enjoyed the details on the fashion industry, reading about typewriters and the working world. It’s interesting to compare then to now. Of course, there was a lot of sex discrimination and unfairness in the book. The four main characters are looked down on or used by at least one man. However, the girls learnt important lessons throughout the story.
Kaye’s writing style was great. It contained all the excitement of sixties New York. I felt the pace of the story could have been sped up as the middle section was slow. Overall, Gloss was an easy-to-read story about girls coming of age; discovering their identity for the first time. Obviously, there is a huge gap in the YA market because I would love to read more books set in this time period. I look forward to reading more books by Marilyn Kaye.
Sherry Ann is very much the typical good girl who follows all the rules. But after the future that looked so certain, crashes around her, she slowly but surely evolves into a strong woman. Pamela only wants to have a good time in New York, but she’s a young girl trying to act much older than she is. I really wanted to shake Allison. She seemed like a smart enough girl but she made a lot of wrong choices. Donna’s story was incredibly sad but a tale a lot of other girls would have also gone through and still do.
I enjoyed the details on the fashion industry, reading about typewriters and the working world. It’s interesting to compare then to now. Of course, there was a lot of sex discrimination and unfairness in the book. The four main characters are looked down on or used by at least one man. However, the girls learnt important lessons throughout the story.
Kaye’s writing style was great. It contained all the excitement of sixties New York. I felt the pace of the story could have been sped up as the middle section was slow. Overall, Gloss was an easy-to-read story about girls coming of age; discovering their identity for the first time. Obviously, there is a huge gap in the YA market because I would love to read more books set in this time period. I look forward to reading more books by Marilyn Kaye.
April 8, 2017
I really enjoyed gloss for a variety of reasons.
I loved the time period it was set in and I did find myself absolutely as instead by the mindset of the girls in the book based on the world they had been brought up in. It was really telling when they were really worried about how they might be seen especially by men if they were out in the world earning a living for themselves and their world outlook for their future was really indicative of the values of the time that they had grown up with. For me the social history that came with this book really made it for me.
I really liked how the book flitted between the stories of the four different girls who were all quite different. It made things interesting to see their different stories and added more to the story as a whole than had you stuck with one. That said I did think a times things were a little bit rushed and I would have liked a bit more on each of them in more depth as there was so much more story to tell.
I loved how the book loved at the world of fashion which from the outside you'd presume would be all glitzy and glamourously but actually isn't. It's really intesting to see the ways in which they girls respond to the more mundane existence of being an intern stuck doing the jobs no one else wants to do all day without actually being paid for it.
All in all a nice summery read set in a really interesting historical setting. Definitely worth a look.
I loved the time period it was set in and I did find myself absolutely as instead by the mindset of the girls in the book based on the world they had been brought up in. It was really telling when they were really worried about how they might be seen especially by men if they were out in the world earning a living for themselves and their world outlook for their future was really indicative of the values of the time that they had grown up with. For me the social history that came with this book really made it for me.
I really liked how the book flitted between the stories of the four different girls who were all quite different. It made things interesting to see their different stories and added more to the story as a whole than had you stuck with one. That said I did think a times things were a little bit rushed and I would have liked a bit more on each of them in more depth as there was so much more story to tell.
I loved how the book loved at the world of fashion which from the outside you'd presume would be all glitzy and glamourously but actually isn't. It's really intesting to see the ways in which they girls respond to the more mundane existence of being an intern stuck doing the jobs no one else wants to do all day without actually being paid for it.
All in all a nice summery read set in a really interesting historical setting. Definitely worth a look.
June 28, 2013
Three and a half stars for this one. (Really goodreads, we need those halves!)
This is a cute book. Really, that's the best summary I have been able to come up with. The opening, as we get introduced to the girls, the magazine, and the New York of that time is really fun -- I loved picturing the city and how it used to look in my head as I read. The ending was also really nicely done, with all loose ties neatly in bows and a happy ending for all. I just walked away feeling like something was lacking. I'm not sure if it was because of the predictable story lines or if it was because once we got to know the girls I didn't really love most of them (Donna was my favourite . . . she was definitely the most interesting of them all). There were so many times I wanted to shake one of them and make them see just how stupid they were being. But I'm not sure if when I was their age if I'd've done any better. So yes, a cute book, but I strongly suspect that you need to be the target audience age to truly appreciate this one.
Big thanks to my library publishing rep for sending this one too me!
This is a cute book. Really, that's the best summary I have been able to come up with. The opening, as we get introduced to the girls, the magazine, and the New York of that time is really fun -- I loved picturing the city and how it used to look in my head as I read. The ending was also really nicely done, with all loose ties neatly in bows and a happy ending for all. I just walked away feeling like something was lacking. I'm not sure if it was because of the predictable story lines or if it was because once we got to know the girls I didn't really love most of them (Donna was my favourite . . . she was definitely the most interesting of them all). There were so many times I wanted to shake one of them and make them see just how stupid they were being. But I'm not sure if when I was their age if I'd've done any better. So yes, a cute book, but I strongly suspect that you need to be the target audience age to truly appreciate this one.
Big thanks to my library publishing rep for sending this one too me!
January 3, 2015
It's 1963 in New York, and the interns of Gloss magazine know exactly what they want. Sherry's having her grand adventure before she settles into the path she's chosen: college, marriage to her high-school boyfriend, family. Pamela's looking for adventure too, but her rules are looser and her plans somewhat less distinct -- secretarial school, then who knows? Allison is dead-set on rebelling against her New England Proper family. Donna is seeking an escape route...and hoping to keep her secrets hidden.
And yes, indeed, it's pretty adorable. Would make an excellent summer/beach read. The girls all grow up over the course of the summer, and while most of it's predictable, there are some neat little twists. In some ways I wish the girls had a bit more depth (or maybe that not all of their POVs were included? I'm not sure. Jarring at first, but by the end it didn't bother me), but...well, they each have a learning curve. Love that romance isn't the primary focus, even when certain characters think it should be.
Not earth-shattering, but a good fit for my (current, minor) obsession with light 60s YA.
And yes, indeed, it's pretty adorable. Would make an excellent summer/beach read. The girls all grow up over the course of the summer, and while most of it's predictable, there are some neat little twists. In some ways I wish the girls had a bit more depth (or maybe that not all of their POVs were included? I'm not sure. Jarring at first, but by the end it didn't bother me), but...well, they each have a learning curve. Love that romance isn't the primary focus, even when certain characters think it should be.
Not earth-shattering, but a good fit for my (current, minor) obsession with light 60s YA.
March 20, 2014
Umm.. I really had mixed feelings about this one. Three-quarters of my opinion is bad and the other quarter has a good side to it. Let's start with the bad. This book wasn't that great at all. I got bored a lot. The whole story didn't have a meaning behind it, and I didn't like the setting that much either. The 60's was a fantastic era, but I really don't see it in a modern, chick-lit teen novel.
The characters were pretty bad and dull. Sherry was my favourite, she had some sort of sense of direction in her than the other protagonists.
The only good thing about this is the concept. I kind of like the idea of internship at a fashion magazine office, who'd think that 4 girls would get this chance in the 60's?
Okay. I probably wouldn't recommend this book, but give it some hope. Maybe you'll like it.
The characters were pretty bad and dull. Sherry was my favourite, she had some sort of sense of direction in her than the other protagonists.
The only good thing about this is the concept. I kind of like the idea of internship at a fashion magazine office, who'd think that 4 girls would get this chance in the 60's?
Okay. I probably wouldn't recommend this book, but give it some hope. Maybe you'll like it.
July 28, 2013
It was okay, if you like this kind of schmaltz. I, however, was hoping for something a little more risqué, which unfortunately didn't happen. The lead characters, whilst rightfully playing the part of well behaved Sixties all-American teens, were frankly quite boring, and the storyline was very humdrum. I admit, the blatant sexism and difficulties faced by women in the workplace back then were probably true to life, but I'd prefer a heroine with a bit more backbone. Maybe I've read too much Jackie Collins, but I just wasn't impressed.
August 4, 2014
3.5
I liked the setting, I've never read about anything that took time in the sixties so this was a first and I admired the experience, especially that the book mentions fashion and describes it at that time, which I found really exciting as I'm interested in old fashion. The girls' stories were kinda typical, with some elements of surprise especially at the end, but Donna's story was what I found the most interesting, because it was the most unusual. All in all, the book was a good read, not the phenomenal-perfect-holding my breath through the whole thing kinda book, but a good read.
I liked the setting, I've never read about anything that took time in the sixties so this was a first and I admired the experience, especially that the book mentions fashion and describes it at that time, which I found really exciting as I'm interested in old fashion. The girls' stories were kinda typical, with some elements of surprise especially at the end, but Donna's story was what I found the most interesting, because it was the most unusual. All in all, the book was a good read, not the phenomenal-perfect-holding my breath through the whole thing kinda book, but a good read.
September 28, 2013
This was the first book I've read by Marilyn Kaye but it was wonderful page turner. It had an awesome story and really dug deep into the characters thoughts. Don't judge it by the date, it was very modern but the characters had a bit if propperness(is that a word??) to them. Worth the read!!
March 22, 2018
I liked this book very much. It is interesting to learn about New York in the sixties, and also the drama behind the pages of a fashion magazine. It is exciting because it has a factional plot, but also an informative twist. You need to read this.
December 26, 2017
The characters are very unrelatable for someone around their age. Their mentality in relationships are actually naive. A great read nonetheless, has interesting plots going on for each of the characters!
January 25, 2014
This was a really cute, fun read. Though I did have to keep reminding myself that it is set in 1963.
Looking forward to see what happens to these girls next.
Looking forward to see what happens to these girls next.
April 30, 2021
A good insight of a fashion magazine; the discovery, hardships and consequent success/new beginnings of the interns sum up to an intriguing and inspiring journey.
June 16, 2016
OMG!! Best book I have ever read and now I am so eager to start reading the next one. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes realistic life drama
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