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Catie Conrad
Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters
Meet, Catie Conrad - a typical Christian tween with, oh, the weight of the world on her shoulders. And if it isn’t bad enough that no one seems to understand the social pressures of being the greatest at everything, donning the latest fashions, and carrying the trendiest technology, Catie’s dad is about to uproot her and her family to an Indian reservation during spring break for his job. Throw in a school dance, a major art contest, and an arch nemesis known only as Miranda Maroni and there’s bound to be an epic meltdown of biblical proportions. Or, maybe not…
Finally a voice in the tween genre that is relatable and no less humorous for girls aged 9 to 12 by author Angie Spady. The first book in a new series titled Desperate Diva Diaries , Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship, and Fashion Disasters chronicles both the small triumphs and general mishaps of sixth-grade Christian want-to-be diva, Catie Conrad. While her Christian journalist father is often a co-conspirator to making Catie’s life interesting with mission trips and church projects, Catie never ceases to realize God’s hand in all situations.
Finally a voice in the tween genre that is relatable and no less humorous for girls aged 9 to 12 by author Angie Spady. The first book in a new series titled Desperate Diva Diaries , Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship, and Fashion Disasters chronicles both the small triumphs and general mishaps of sixth-grade Christian want-to-be diva, Catie Conrad. While her Christian journalist father is often a co-conspirator to making Catie’s life interesting with mission trips and church projects, Catie never ceases to realize God’s hand in all situations.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2014
7 people are currently reading
30 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 9, 2018
I read this after my middle-schooler, who ranks it as enjoyable, better than the popular "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series, but not as good as "The Dork Diary" series. I think all 3 series rate pretty much the same for me. I never could figure out why my kid liked "The Dork Diaries" but not "Diary of a Wimpy Kid." My middle-schooler did like the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" movie, however.
Some of "The Desperate Diva Diaries" was funny. I liked the pet skunk, and thought these lines were funny, too: "Flesh of a tomato? Did he have to use those words? I felt like a cannibal eating a piece of human flesh."
I think that Angie Spady tried to take the popular style of a middle-schooler's diary with various sketches and brief entries, but add a little substance to it. I'm afraid that for me, it fell flat. It just didn't seem to ring true for what middle school was like when I attended, and I think it's gotten much harder now. Of course, if any of these diary books depicted reality, then they wouldn't be the light-hearted humor that they are.
It also wasn't clear if the school was a Christian school or a public school. I think the author may have intentionally wanted to leave that vague, but it was confusing to me, because there were bits and pieces of both types of environments, very different. For example, most of the youth group kids I know in public school would realize that choosing to make a cross for an art project would bring them instant belittling. They may or may not choose to do it anyway, and brace themselves for the conflict, but all of them realize that such an action would come with a cost. They've talked about ways they would and would not express their faith at school, trying to be a positive influence without getting into trouble, and which teachers are more or less likely to be supportive of that. In the book, the character naively made this cross and nothing happened - no complaints from other students, no reprimand from the teacher, nothing. It left me feeling puzzled, and that the school might've been a Christian one.
But, on the other hand, the rules were not like the rules in a Christian school. In particular, the dress code was more relaxed than that of the dress codes in Christian schools I've known. Again, I was surprised when a student designed and wore a dress that it wasn't reprimanded as being too revealing.
Also, I don't think middle school kids, even Christian ones, think like Catie Conrad did. She's too pie-in-the-sky in some places, and feeling entitled in others. I know that lots of kids do feel entitled today, so maybe that is a realistic aspect, but it didn't seem to blend well with the rest of her personality. The Christian teens that I talk to in youth group can at least tell me, without me asking, when they're acting entitled. They do understand the difference between needs and desires. Or maybe the kids in my particular youth group are more mature, or their families have talked about it more, or whatever. I think they know. Most of them aren't wealthy and they realize that at some point, they can't have everything. They may grumble about it, but in the next heartbeat, they're grinning, just happy to be with their friends. I only know the kids that I know, and so they may not be typical.
Kudos to the author for having the mom give a good recommendation to Cate that she enjoyed. It gets annoying to read so many teen books were it is always the parents who are so dorky and unrelatable. Also, I liked that the mom took Cate for a surprise shopping gift. I do that from time to time for my kids. It really seems to brighten them and do wonders for their talking with me - if they weren't expecting it.
It kind of bugged me that the parents just took their teens to help in ministry work without asking them. I know that parents decide the course their families will take, but ministry work always seems somewhat personal to me, with kids each having their own temperaments and gifts. Or maybe that's because among my kids, I have some introverts, and it's not always wise to push them into things too quickly. I always ask before signing them up for some service project and for some reason, they've never turned me down, not even the introverts, if they are available. I can't explain that, but then I feel like it's something they're choosing to do, something they want to do, rather than just something they're pushed into. This upcoming generation, in general, do like to serve, to feel that their contributions are valued and meaningful.
To be fair, these fictional parents did try to find service activities for their kids that suited their gifts well, and it would've probably been a good match.
In fact, that whole business with the VBS for the Native Americans just bothered me. It could've been handled in a much better way. Reaching out to other people, outside our comfort zone, outside our demographic can be a good and beautiful thing, with real discussions of depth and respect on difference in viewpoints and belief. But reading this, I kept having to cringe at how culturally insensitive it was. I finally had to just skim the rest of that section to get through it. I think there were actually some good points that were made in that, but ... no, I just couldn't ...
About the S.A.D. (Sit At Dinner) nights where each family member has to say something good about their days: I've heard this expanded to both the high-point and the low-point of the day, with the caveat that nobody's high point can be the same incident as someone else's low point. When my oldest teen began middle school, that teen hated the practice, just like Cate did in the book. Everywhere I turned, people were talking about what a wonderful bonding thing this was - but no, it wasn't, for our family. I dropped it in favor of other random questions and one-on-one conversations. But, where I help out with middle school ministry, the kids all love to say their highs-and-lows. They beg every time to be able to do that, and so we often do it before the lesson. I'm not sure if it's just them procrastinating getting to the lesson or not, but I love to have them all happily participating - and yes, we get around to the lesson, too.
And now we get to the real issue I had with this book. All the verses were taken out of context and applied in unintended ways. It got to the point that I would cringe every time a verse was used. (Okay, I don't know about the ones in the VBS ministry because I ended up skimming that part.) I think that the author was trying to add some depth and substance to this type of middle school book, but ... ouch.
I mean, seriously? Using "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind, is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27) as a hope that a boy would ask a girl to a dance? That feels like a misuse. No, it's not too hard for God, but is it the best thing? It's not a promise that God would get the boy to ask the girl.
Or what about Job as a comparison to not getting asked (yet) for the dance? I could see how it could be an eye-opening change in perspective as to what real problems might entail, but to just think that the two dilemmas compare? The death of all Job's children, most of his servants, and all his animals compares to not getting asked to a dance? No, I just don't see it. It doesn't even make sense. And it wasn't said in jest.
Philippians 4:13 was also taken out of context. It's about contentment, not designing a dress.
It should probably be noted that my middle-schooler is not nearly as picky as I am on these things.
If someone likes the Cate teen fashion-designer character, they might also like Heather Frederick's "Mother-Daughter Bookclub" series, which also begins in middle school and runs through mid-high school. One of the main characters in it, Megan, also has a penchant for designing clothes, and it's fun to watch her character grow throughout the series. My oldest teen once called the "Mother-Daughter Bookclub" the most "realistic" book about middle school and its cliques of all the ones read. The "Mother-Daughter Bookclub" is not an overtly Christian story, however.
Some of "The Desperate Diva Diaries" was funny. I liked the pet skunk, and thought these lines were funny, too: "Flesh of a tomato? Did he have to use those words? I felt like a cannibal eating a piece of human flesh."
I think that Angie Spady tried to take the popular style of a middle-schooler's diary with various sketches and brief entries, but add a little substance to it. I'm afraid that for me, it fell flat. It just didn't seem to ring true for what middle school was like when I attended, and I think it's gotten much harder now. Of course, if any of these diary books depicted reality, then they wouldn't be the light-hearted humor that they are.
It also wasn't clear if the school was a Christian school or a public school. I think the author may have intentionally wanted to leave that vague, but it was confusing to me, because there were bits and pieces of both types of environments, very different. For example, most of the youth group kids I know in public school would realize that choosing to make a cross for an art project would bring them instant belittling. They may or may not choose to do it anyway, and brace themselves for the conflict, but all of them realize that such an action would come with a cost. They've talked about ways they would and would not express their faith at school, trying to be a positive influence without getting into trouble, and which teachers are more or less likely to be supportive of that. In the book, the character naively made this cross and nothing happened - no complaints from other students, no reprimand from the teacher, nothing. It left me feeling puzzled, and that the school might've been a Christian one.
But, on the other hand, the rules were not like the rules in a Christian school. In particular, the dress code was more relaxed than that of the dress codes in Christian schools I've known. Again, I was surprised when a student designed and wore a dress that it wasn't reprimanded as being too revealing.
Also, I don't think middle school kids, even Christian ones, think like Catie Conrad did. She's too pie-in-the-sky in some places, and feeling entitled in others. I know that lots of kids do feel entitled today, so maybe that is a realistic aspect, but it didn't seem to blend well with the rest of her personality. The Christian teens that I talk to in youth group can at least tell me, without me asking, when they're acting entitled. They do understand the difference between needs and desires. Or maybe the kids in my particular youth group are more mature, or their families have talked about it more, or whatever. I think they know. Most of them aren't wealthy and they realize that at some point, they can't have everything. They may grumble about it, but in the next heartbeat, they're grinning, just happy to be with their friends. I only know the kids that I know, and so they may not be typical.
Kudos to the author for having the mom give a good recommendation to Cate that she enjoyed. It gets annoying to read so many teen books were it is always the parents who are so dorky and unrelatable. Also, I liked that the mom took Cate for a surprise shopping gift. I do that from time to time for my kids. It really seems to brighten them and do wonders for their talking with me - if they weren't expecting it.
It kind of bugged me that the parents just took their teens to help in ministry work without asking them. I know that parents decide the course their families will take, but ministry work always seems somewhat personal to me, with kids each having their own temperaments and gifts. Or maybe that's because among my kids, I have some introverts, and it's not always wise to push them into things too quickly. I always ask before signing them up for some service project and for some reason, they've never turned me down, not even the introverts, if they are available. I can't explain that, but then I feel like it's something they're choosing to do, something they want to do, rather than just something they're pushed into. This upcoming generation, in general, do like to serve, to feel that their contributions are valued and meaningful.
To be fair, these fictional parents did try to find service activities for their kids that suited their gifts well, and it would've probably been a good match.
In fact, that whole business with the VBS for the Native Americans just bothered me. It could've been handled in a much better way. Reaching out to other people, outside our comfort zone, outside our demographic can be a good and beautiful thing, with real discussions of depth and respect on difference in viewpoints and belief. But reading this, I kept having to cringe at how culturally insensitive it was. I finally had to just skim the rest of that section to get through it. I think there were actually some good points that were made in that, but ... no, I just couldn't ...
About the S.A.D. (Sit At Dinner) nights where each family member has to say something good about their days: I've heard this expanded to both the high-point and the low-point of the day, with the caveat that nobody's high point can be the same incident as someone else's low point. When my oldest teen began middle school, that teen hated the practice, just like Cate did in the book. Everywhere I turned, people were talking about what a wonderful bonding thing this was - but no, it wasn't, for our family. I dropped it in favor of other random questions and one-on-one conversations. But, where I help out with middle school ministry, the kids all love to say their highs-and-lows. They beg every time to be able to do that, and so we often do it before the lesson. I'm not sure if it's just them procrastinating getting to the lesson or not, but I love to have them all happily participating - and yes, we get around to the lesson, too.
And now we get to the real issue I had with this book. All the verses were taken out of context and applied in unintended ways. It got to the point that I would cringe every time a verse was used. (Okay, I don't know about the ones in the VBS ministry because I ended up skimming that part.) I think that the author was trying to add some depth and substance to this type of middle school book, but ... ouch.
I mean, seriously? Using "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind, is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27) as a hope that a boy would ask a girl to a dance? That feels like a misuse. No, it's not too hard for God, but is it the best thing? It's not a promise that God would get the boy to ask the girl.
Or what about Job as a comparison to not getting asked (yet) for the dance? I could see how it could be an eye-opening change in perspective as to what real problems might entail, but to just think that the two dilemmas compare? The death of all Job's children, most of his servants, and all his animals compares to not getting asked to a dance? No, I just don't see it. It doesn't even make sense. And it wasn't said in jest.
Philippians 4:13 was also taken out of context. It's about contentment, not designing a dress.
It should probably be noted that my middle-schooler is not nearly as picky as I am on these things.
If someone likes the Cate teen fashion-designer character, they might also like Heather Frederick's "Mother-Daughter Bookclub" series, which also begins in middle school and runs through mid-high school. One of the main characters in it, Megan, also has a penchant for designing clothes, and it's fun to watch her character grow throughout the series. My oldest teen once called the "Mother-Daughter Bookclub" the most "realistic" book about middle school and its cliques of all the ones read. The "Mother-Daughter Bookclub" is not an overtly Christian story, however.
September 14, 2016
About this book:
“Meet, Catie Conrad - a typical Christian tween with, oh, the weight of the world on her shoulders. And if it isn’t bad enough that no one seems to understand the social pressures of being the greatest at everything, donning the latest fashions, and carrying the trendiest technology, Catie’s dad is about to uproot her and her family to an Indian reservation during spring break for his job. Throw in a school dance, a major art contest, and an arch nemesis known only as Miranda Maroni and there’s bound to be an epic meltdown of biblical proportions. Or, maybe not…”
Series: Book #1 in the “Desperate Diva Diaries” series.
Spiritual Content- Prayers and Prayer lists (& mentions of it); Catie is trying to memorize Scriptures; Scriptures are written out, mentioned & discussed as well; Church going; A mission trip VBS & a song; Many Talks about Jesus, the cross, learning & fairness; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Talks about & mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of God; Mentions of praying; Mentions of Church, Sunday School, & memorizing Scriptures; Mentions of missionaries, VBS, & mission trips; Mentions of tithing; A couple mentions of Bible reading; A mention of a Bible.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, an ‘OMG’, two ‘oh my gosh’s, five ‘blah, blah, blah’s, six ‘sheesh’s, and nineteen forms of ‘dumb’s; Mean girls & drama; Lots of sibling bickering; Many mention of acne (pimples/zits); Mentions of feeling like a zombie; A mention of a cannibal;
*Note: Peace signs are drawn about five times; A mention of Starbucks; Mentions of makeup.
Sexual Content- Catie has a crush & many mentions of him; Miranda is called boy crazy; A dance; Many mentions of cute boys; Many mentions of the school dance; A few mentions of dates & dumping;
*Note: Illustrations of (prepubescent) girls wearing halter tops, tanks, one-shoulder (& low-cut) tops with tanks underneath, off-the-shoulder dresses, sweetheart neckline dresses, short-shorts, mini-skirts, & short hi-low skirts; A few mentions of dress-codes, the girls who break them showing everything & boys looking at them; Mentions of short dresses.
-Catie Conrad, age 12
1st person P.O.V. of Catie
290 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{Add 1 to 2 stars for girls in Public School}
In the opening chapter, Catie is ranting/complaining about her dad getting her this diary instead of the sketchpad she wanted. It honestly took me back a bit and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with the rest of the book. I can say, though, that Catie grows in this diary/book & by the end she really grew on me. She could be a drama queen at times, but I think that may have to do with the age. ;) She realizes after a mission trip (that she originally didn’t want to go on) what is important in life—like not having a cell phone isn’t the end of the world.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
“Meet, Catie Conrad - a typical Christian tween with, oh, the weight of the world on her shoulders. And if it isn’t bad enough that no one seems to understand the social pressures of being the greatest at everything, donning the latest fashions, and carrying the trendiest technology, Catie’s dad is about to uproot her and her family to an Indian reservation during spring break for his job. Throw in a school dance, a major art contest, and an arch nemesis known only as Miranda Maroni and there’s bound to be an epic meltdown of biblical proportions. Or, maybe not…”
Series: Book #1 in the “Desperate Diva Diaries” series.
Spiritual Content- Prayers and Prayer lists (& mentions of it); Catie is trying to memorize Scriptures; Scriptures are written out, mentioned & discussed as well; Church going; A mission trip VBS & a song; Many Talks about Jesus, the cross, learning & fairness; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Talks about & mentions of those in the Bible; Mentions of God; Mentions of praying; Mentions of Church, Sunday School, & memorizing Scriptures; Mentions of missionaries, VBS, & mission trips; Mentions of tithing; A couple mentions of Bible reading; A mention of a Bible.
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: an ‘idiot’, an ‘OMG’, two ‘oh my gosh’s, five ‘blah, blah, blah’s, six ‘sheesh’s, and nineteen forms of ‘dumb’s; Mean girls & drama; Lots of sibling bickering; Many mention of acne (pimples/zits); Mentions of feeling like a zombie; A mention of a cannibal;
*Note: Peace signs are drawn about five times; A mention of Starbucks; Mentions of makeup.
Sexual Content- Catie has a crush & many mentions of him; Miranda is called boy crazy; A dance; Many mentions of cute boys; Many mentions of the school dance; A few mentions of dates & dumping;
*Note: Illustrations of (prepubescent) girls wearing halter tops, tanks, one-shoulder (& low-cut) tops with tanks underneath, off-the-shoulder dresses, sweetheart neckline dresses, short-shorts, mini-skirts, & short hi-low skirts; A few mentions of dress-codes, the girls who break them showing everything & boys looking at them; Mentions of short dresses.
-Catie Conrad, age 12
1st person P.O.V. of Catie
290 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars (and a half)
Early High School Teens- Three Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
{Add 1 to 2 stars for girls in Public School}
In the opening chapter, Catie is ranting/complaining about her dad getting her this diary instead of the sketchpad she wanted. It honestly took me back a bit and I wasn’t quite sure what to expect with the rest of the book. I can say, though, that Catie grows in this diary/book & by the end she really grew on me. She could be a drama queen at times, but I think that may have to do with the age. ;) She realizes after a mission trip (that she originally didn’t want to go on) what is important in life—like not having a cell phone isn’t the end of the world.
Link to review:
https://booksforchristiangirls.blogsp...
*BFCG may (Read the review to see) recommend this book by this author. It does not mean I recommend all the books by this author.
January 15, 2015
Creative Catie Conrad can’t understand why her dad brings home two diaries instead of the two sketchpads she requested. After all, aspiring fashion designers need sketchpads. The energetic sixth-grader puts the diaries to use to record her designs, joys, angst, drama, annoyances and the prayers that carry her through it all in The (Desperate) Diva Diaries.
Catie and her smart, supportive best friend Sophie—who is also her church member—escort each other as they encounter boys, a first school dance, challenging classroom assignments, embarrassing moments, and a little mischief in hilarious fashion.
Author Angie Spady pens the diary entries in an engaging conversational style, accompanied by eye-catching illustrations that reflects Catie’s current object of affection or irritation: a new design, an annoying little brother with his pet skunk, the self-absorbed, most popular girl in her class who loves to dispense disparaging remarks, gratefulness for a good teacher, thoughtful mom and dad.
This delightful book numerous laugh-out-loud moments and real-life events that many preteen girls experience will capture young readers attention. More importantly, Spady applies God’s wonderful word throughout the story to situations in a natural, unobtrusive way that girls will find digestible and useful in their daily lives.
I received a complimentary copy of The (Desperate) Diva Diaries without expectation of a positive review.
http://inspiredbooksguide.com
Catie and her smart, supportive best friend Sophie—who is also her church member—escort each other as they encounter boys, a first school dance, challenging classroom assignments, embarrassing moments, and a little mischief in hilarious fashion.
Author Angie Spady pens the diary entries in an engaging conversational style, accompanied by eye-catching illustrations that reflects Catie’s current object of affection or irritation: a new design, an annoying little brother with his pet skunk, the self-absorbed, most popular girl in her class who loves to dispense disparaging remarks, gratefulness for a good teacher, thoughtful mom and dad.
This delightful book numerous laugh-out-loud moments and real-life events that many preteen girls experience will capture young readers attention. More importantly, Spady applies God’s wonderful word throughout the story to situations in a natural, unobtrusive way that girls will find digestible and useful in their daily lives.
I received a complimentary copy of The (Desperate) Diva Diaries without expectation of a positive review.
http://inspiredbooksguide.com
July 9, 2015
Well, this is Carissa's new BFF, Catie. I was given a complimentary copy of this book from B&H Publishing Group for review purposes. From the moment it arrived in the mail, Carissa's eyes lit up and she hasn't been separated from it since. I had planned on a giveaway, but this is a friend she will visit over and over, and I cannot bear to part them.
Carissa hugs this book. She tells everyone she knows about it. She talks about Catie as if she were a real person, and always tells me the different ways she's discovering that Catie is just like her. Do you want to know the best part? Catie is a Christian girl with Godly parents and a functional home. She respects her parents and loves her brother and looks to God for answers and advice. I am almost more in love with Catie than Carissa is... almost...
Carissa hugs this book. She tells everyone she knows about it. She talks about Catie as if she were a real person, and always tells me the different ways she's discovering that Catie is just like her. Do you want to know the best part? Catie is a Christian girl with Godly parents and a functional home. She respects her parents and loves her brother and looks to God for answers and advice. I am almost more in love with Catie than Carissa is... almost...
March 31, 2020
This is a great book for young girls!
April 23, 2015
Originally posted at Peeking Between the Pages (http://www.peekingbetweenthepages.com...)
Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters is the first book in the Desperate Diva Diaries Series by Angie Spady. It is a beautiful hardcover book that has the most wonderful illustrations by Channing Everidge in it and is sure to appeal to teen girls. I always enjoy faith based books and I think they are especially important to young girls who are looking for a way to fit in or even just to realize they are not alone in the multitude of feelings they are dealing with daily with growing up and I love that this book does that with a good dose of humor added in.
Catie Conrad is just your normal Christian tween struggling with all the same stuff as any other girl her age even if she does think her problems are by far the worst ever. When her father brings her home a few journals to record her thoughts in she thinks he may be crazy but then decides that it might be a good idea to write down how she’s feeling about everything. And she does just that! She writes about her challenges in getting along with her younger brother and his pet skunk, her issues at school and at home, and even more importantly her crush on a boy at school. All along the way she has the support of her best friend Sophie and their mutual belief in God.
Catie is a girl that many young girls will relate to. She dreams of one day becoming a fashion designer and spends a lot of time sharing her design ideas and sketches in her diary. She loves her best friend and dislikes the popular girl in school who isn’t all that nice and who wants the same boy she does. She also wants the same things any young girl does like a new cell phone. However when Catie’s dad has the whole family go out to serve in the mission field Catie realizes that there are way more important things than having the newest and best of everything. Nothing can be better than spreading the word of God and seeing people react to that in a positive way.
This is the perfect book for tween readers. The diary layout is great for easy reading and teen girls will love all of the illustrations. Catie’s life struggles will help teen girls deal with their own issues and I love that the book shows how God can help in any and all situations in life. I’ll be reviewing the second book entitled Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School soon and I can’t wait for more of Catie’s adventures. Highly recommended!
Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters is the first book in the Desperate Diva Diaries Series by Angie Spady. It is a beautiful hardcover book that has the most wonderful illustrations by Channing Everidge in it and is sure to appeal to teen girls. I always enjoy faith based books and I think they are especially important to young girls who are looking for a way to fit in or even just to realize they are not alone in the multitude of feelings they are dealing with daily with growing up and I love that this book does that with a good dose of humor added in.
Catie Conrad is just your normal Christian tween struggling with all the same stuff as any other girl her age even if she does think her problems are by far the worst ever. When her father brings her home a few journals to record her thoughts in she thinks he may be crazy but then decides that it might be a good idea to write down how she’s feeling about everything. And she does just that! She writes about her challenges in getting along with her younger brother and his pet skunk, her issues at school and at home, and even more importantly her crush on a boy at school. All along the way she has the support of her best friend Sophie and their mutual belief in God.
Catie is a girl that many young girls will relate to. She dreams of one day becoming a fashion designer and spends a lot of time sharing her design ideas and sketches in her diary. She loves her best friend and dislikes the popular girl in school who isn’t all that nice and who wants the same boy she does. She also wants the same things any young girl does like a new cell phone. However when Catie’s dad has the whole family go out to serve in the mission field Catie realizes that there are way more important things than having the newest and best of everything. Nothing can be better than spreading the word of God and seeing people react to that in a positive way.
This is the perfect book for tween readers. The diary layout is great for easy reading and teen girls will love all of the illustrations. Catie’s life struggles will help teen girls deal with their own issues and I love that the book shows how God can help in any and all situations in life. I’ll be reviewing the second book entitled Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School soon and I can’t wait for more of Catie’s adventures. Highly recommended!
December 1, 2014
For fans of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or Dork Diaries, comes a great alternative for girls in Middle School who want something with a spiritual message tucked inside. The Diva Diaries from author Angie Spady is just for girls who can relate to the things Catie Conrad has to deal with in going to Middle School.
Her father supplied her with three journals, which he hopes she will find the love of writing her thoughts in them as much as he enjoyed writing for the newspaper, but Catie was hoping that he might have found a least a good zit zapper instead. However she finds that writing down what she is going through in school might not be so bad. Her best friend is Sophie, who is always looking out for her best interests and keeps her on the spiritual path while the two dream up spa inspired recipes for body lotion and bubble bath when they have sleepovers.
Catie is challenged to get along with her younger brother, Jeremy, whom she lovingly refers to as the "Germ." He has a pet skunk as a pet named Rosie he doesn't go anywhere without. Her nemesis in school is Miranda Maroni, who is the ultimate popular girl in school who has everything going for her including the same interest in Josh Henderson, the boy both girls are hoping will ask them to the upcoming dance. Catie dreams of one day becoming a big name fashionista and shares her ideas in her diary along with all her frustrations only a teenager girl would understand.
I received The Diva Diaries-Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters by Angie Spady and illustrated by Channing Everidge compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. In exchange for a free copy of the book, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I only wish I had a book like this when I was younger. It reminded me of Beverly Clearly and the books about Ramona and Beezus, but this one has an uplifting message inside. While Catie struggles to put her faith in action, she remembers why it is necessary to pray for others and even serve in the mission field. It helps her understand how things like what dress you will get for the dance or even buying the latest smart phone relates in the bigger scheme of life. I can't wait to pick this entire series as it becomes available for my niece whom I know will absolutely LOVE this one as much as I did. Hands down a 5 out of 5 perfect stars!
Her father supplied her with three journals, which he hopes she will find the love of writing her thoughts in them as much as he enjoyed writing for the newspaper, but Catie was hoping that he might have found a least a good zit zapper instead. However she finds that writing down what she is going through in school might not be so bad. Her best friend is Sophie, who is always looking out for her best interests and keeps her on the spiritual path while the two dream up spa inspired recipes for body lotion and bubble bath when they have sleepovers.
Catie is challenged to get along with her younger brother, Jeremy, whom she lovingly refers to as the "Germ." He has a pet skunk as a pet named Rosie he doesn't go anywhere without. Her nemesis in school is Miranda Maroni, who is the ultimate popular girl in school who has everything going for her including the same interest in Josh Henderson, the boy both girls are hoping will ask them to the upcoming dance. Catie dreams of one day becoming a big name fashionista and shares her ideas in her diary along with all her frustrations only a teenager girl would understand.
I received The Diva Diaries-Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters by Angie Spady and illustrated by Channing Everidge compliments of Shelton Interactive and B and H Publishing Group for my honest review. In exchange for a free copy of the book, I did not receive any monetary compensation for a favorable review and the opinions contained here are strictly my own. I only wish I had a book like this when I was younger. It reminded me of Beverly Clearly and the books about Ramona and Beezus, but this one has an uplifting message inside. While Catie struggles to put her faith in action, she remembers why it is necessary to pray for others and even serve in the mission field. It helps her understand how things like what dress you will get for the dance or even buying the latest smart phone relates in the bigger scheme of life. I can't wait to pick this entire series as it becomes available for my niece whom I know will absolutely LOVE this one as much as I did. Hands down a 5 out of 5 perfect stars!
December 21, 2014
About the book:
“Meet, Catie Conrad - a typical, tween, Christian girl with, oh, the weight of the world on her shoulders. And if it isn’t bad enough that no one seems to understand the social pressures of being the greatest at everything, donning the latest fashions, and carrying the trendiest technology, Catie’s dad is about to uproot her and her family to an Indian reservation during spring break for his job. Throw in a school dance, a major art contest, and an arch nemesis known only as Miranda Maroni and there’s bound to be an epic meltdown of biblical proportions. Or, maybe not…”
My Review:
All scripture quoted unless otherwise states is from the Homan Christian Standard Bible. It is hard cover and has the perfect illustrations to catch your tween’s attention. Since I am always looking for appropriate books for my granddaughter, when I was approached about reading this book for review, I jumped at the chance. I am so happy I did because this is another wonderfully upbeat, faith-based book that deals with everyday situations.
In comparison with the series “Diary of a Wimpy Kid” and “Dork Diaries”, this ranks number one in my opinion. After reading this diary, it is answer to any parent’s prayer who wants their child to read faith-based books. This book had so much depth to it, even though it was packed with fun-filled situations. It talks about issues that many girls may deal with on a daily basis. Catie vents and rants just live any normal tween child, but always seems to come up with a great solution.
I cannot wait to introduce my granddaughter to this series. I think the other diaries will end up on the back of the book shelf. I am anxiously awaiting the release of the next in the series.
What a great way to introduce your tween to positive, upbeat reading---Highly recommend!
Disclosure: I was given a copy of this book by the author, for review. I was not required to write a favorable review nor was I compensated for my review. The opinions in this review are my own.
January 6, 2015
When Catie Conrad asked her father to pick her up sketch books while he was out she should have known he’d get the wrong thing. But he’s a journalist, for goodness sakes, he should be able to tell a sketcbook from a dairy!
Maybe Catie can use these diaries to keep her prayer list… to remember who to pray for, and why. That wouldn’t make it a diary, would it?
Hott Review:
As my tween niece would say – Adorbs!
What I liked: ‘Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters’ is a perfect tween read! There are several things that I loved:
It’s laid out as a series of diary entries. Which means, short chapters for reluctant readers.
It’s got plenty of stories about what they’re currently going through – even the school projects are right on target!
The book is riddled with fashion designs and examples that all tweens will adore and that makes it MUCH easier for reluctant readers to enjoy.
Every entry is a cute story with a plan on how to deal with it and sometimes, a what not to do. ;)
The entire book reinforces a need for God in our daily life and in every situation.
What I didn’t like: I’m surrounded by tweens ;O (Not all my own) and they all want to read this — both the avid & reluctant readers — so either I’m going to need to get more copies or we’re going to need to teach them to share again…
More…
Author: Angie Spady, Channing Everidge (Ills)
Source: Shelton Interactive (Publicist)
Grade: A
Ages: 9-14
Setting: Middle School! (6th Grade)
Series: Desperate Diva Diaries, #1
Maybe Catie can use these diaries to keep her prayer list… to remember who to pray for, and why. That wouldn’t make it a diary, would it?
Hott Review:
As my tween niece would say – Adorbs!
What I liked: ‘Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters’ is a perfect tween read! There are several things that I loved:
It’s laid out as a series of diary entries. Which means, short chapters for reluctant readers.
It’s got plenty of stories about what they’re currently going through – even the school projects are right on target!
The book is riddled with fashion designs and examples that all tweens will adore and that makes it MUCH easier for reluctant readers to enjoy.
Every entry is a cute story with a plan on how to deal with it and sometimes, a what not to do. ;)
The entire book reinforces a need for God in our daily life and in every situation.
What I didn’t like: I’m surrounded by tweens ;O (Not all my own) and they all want to read this — both the avid & reluctant readers — so either I’m going to need to get more copies or we’re going to need to teach them to share again…
More…
Author: Angie Spady, Channing Everidge (Ills)
Source: Shelton Interactive (Publicist)
Grade: A
Ages: 9-14
Setting: Middle School! (6th Grade)
Series: Desperate Diva Diaries, #1
December 20, 2016
Typical Catie: "Then I got to work on cutting out fabric for Sophie’s apron. Whenever Mom sees fabric on sale, she buys a few yards of something she thinks I might like. Sophie’s favorite color is orange, so I picked out a fruity print in orange and pink, and I’m going to paint an orange S on the pocket. I can’t wait to see her face when I finally finish it."
Life would be SO much easier without any brothers and their pet skunks, classmates who think they're the best, and moms who say "no" every time you ask for a new phone. Katie tries to be patient, but it's so hard when the Germ (a.k.a. little brother Jeremy) is driving her nuts. And upon all that "normal" stress there's a dance to get ready to and an art show Caries absolutely has to enter. She IS the next famous fashion designer, right?
"Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters" is written as a diary full of illustrations. Sometimes the constant capitalization of words made it hard, but the story was still interesting. From spa disasters to mission trips, it is full of a sixth-grader's secret thoughts.
The good news is that the book is founded on Christian truths. Catie learns that God is in control and that she should be less selfish.
This is the first in the Desperate Diva Diaries Series. The second is "Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School."
Life would be SO much easier without any brothers and their pet skunks, classmates who think they're the best, and moms who say "no" every time you ask for a new phone. Katie tries to be patient, but it's so hard when the Germ (a.k.a. little brother Jeremy) is driving her nuts. And upon all that "normal" stress there's a dance to get ready to and an art show Caries absolutely has to enter. She IS the next famous fashion designer, right?
"Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters" is written as a diary full of illustrations. Sometimes the constant capitalization of words made it hard, but the story was still interesting. From spa disasters to mission trips, it is full of a sixth-grader's secret thoughts.
The good news is that the book is founded on Christian truths. Catie learns that God is in control and that she should be less selfish.
This is the first in the Desperate Diva Diaries Series. The second is "Catie Conrad: How to Become the Most (un)Popular Girl in Middle School."
October 14, 2014
I wanted to read something outside my typical norm and am so glad I decided to read this one! "Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters" is a great read for middle school girls! It is not only hilarious, but girls will easily be able to relate to the frustrations of Catie. She’s real with her emotions when writing them down in her diary.
The drawings were definitely an added bonus to the story. I love Catie’s creativity in designing different clothes. It was even cooler to see her actually make them!
Another added bonus to this story was the strong spiritual message. Catie had real struggles, but yet she did her best to bring it to God in prayer (despite if she didn’t like the person/situation). I also loved how she tried to remember Bible verses to help her through things.
"Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters" is a perfect book for middle school girls who can read about someone they can not only relate too, but also see an example of serving/living for Jesus in everyday life!
*(I received this book from B&H Kids Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.)*
The drawings were definitely an added bonus to the story. I love Catie’s creativity in designing different clothes. It was even cooler to see her actually make them!
Another added bonus to this story was the strong spiritual message. Catie had real struggles, but yet she did her best to bring it to God in prayer (despite if she didn’t like the person/situation). I also loved how she tried to remember Bible verses to help her through things.
"Catie Conrad: Faith, Friendship and Fashion Disasters" is a perfect book for middle school girls who can read about someone they can not only relate too, but also see an example of serving/living for Jesus in everyday life!
*(I received this book from B&H Kids Publishing in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own and I was not required to write a positive review.)*
July 13, 2016
Well Well Well, What can I say? Not only did I love this book I let one of my granddaughters check it out and she absolutely fell in love with the whole book.
The graphics are AMAZING! Catie Conrad is a true role model. The way she plays things out and:
To read more of this review: http://breathoflifebookreviews.blogsp...
The graphics are AMAZING! Catie Conrad is a true role model. The way she plays things out and:
To read more of this review: http://breathoflifebookreviews.blogsp...
September 9, 2015
10YO daughter devoured this in a day and is stalking the mailman for delivery of #2
December 26, 2015
Drie sterren en niet meer, gewoon omdat ik geen tienermeisje ben. Misschien moet ik me ervoor schamen, maar eerlijk gezegd vond ik het best leuk om te lezen.
January 23, 2016
it was a really good book!
September 18, 2022
If there is a couple of things you love these have to be - Friendship and Fashion.
Read
February 28, 2018This book is very good and I can relate to some of the story I think this is a good book and I would request it to people that need a good book to read and are girls.
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