You're Invited Too

RSVP #2

by Jen Malone, Gail Nall

The party’s just getting started . . .

The four besties behind RSVP threw some of the best parties in town over the summer, and now they’re entrusted with a big-time wedding. Only problem? The Bridezilla’s demands are increasingly loony, and Sadie, Lauren, Becca, and Vi need to figure out how to handle her without going nuts themselves. But with school starting back up and tugging at their time and attention, that's not so easy!

Lauren is having an especially hard time with the balancing act, and when her grades suffer as a result, she’s seeing red. Vi’s dad has started his new job as janitor at her middle school and really, could anything be more mortifying? According to Becca—yes. That’s because she’s just learned she needs braces and she is not a happy camper. And Sadie’s already-strained relationship with her mom has not been helped one tiny bit by RSVP’s raiding of Mom’s VIP bride.

But none of that has anything on the hurricane that’s threatening both Sandpiper Beach and the first-ever RSVP wedding.

Genres: Middle Grade, Contemporary

298 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2016

About the author

I once spent a year traveling the world solo from Nepal to Romania to Fiji, where I learned 99.9% of humanity is pretty freaking awesome yet somehow doesn't share my love of ice cubes in a drink. I met my husband on the highway, literally. In fact our meet-cute was SO cute we had a whole story written about it in Ladies Home Journal. My twin boys placed second in the Most Identical contest at the International Festival of Twins. Their little sister placed first in the most adorable contest at the All The People In Our Living Room Festival. I once accompanied a pajama-clad Oprah Winfrey (and her puppies) through the laundry room of the Four Seasons. I have also been in a hotel room alone with a shirtless Mark Wahlberg. In both those instances, it was not what you think. Oh, and I went into early labor while on Stevie Nicks' tour bus. That is pretty much what you think.

Here's the more official bio:
Jen Malone writes fun and flirty YA travel romances with HarperCollins and humorous "girl power" MG adventures with Simon & Schuster. She once spent a year traveling the world solo, met her husband on the highway (literally), and went into labor with her identical twins while on a rock star's tour bus. These days she saves the drama for her books. You can learn more about Jen and her books at www.jenmalonewrites.com. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @jenmalonewrites.

Reviews

[Stephanie Faris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every young girl who dreams of someday being a wedding planner must read this book! Four middle schoolers take on planning a mega-wedding for a true bridezilla. Not only are her demands unreasonable for tween wedding planners, but they'd be unreasonable for any wedding planner. This book shows the charm of living in a small town, where everyone takes care of each other. Plus, there's a hurricane evacuation that becomes a sleepover for the whole town. Am I weird to want to live in a town where that happens?!

[Mehsi · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Another terrific, fun, sweet book in this series!

I just love it when books combine real stuff (like a single parent taking care of her kids, or a hurricane threat, trying to find a good way to deal with school/fun) with sweet, adorable, fun things (romance, party organizing). It is a really nice blend and it makes the book even more interesting and fun to read.

In this book we continue with our girls, they wanted to stop the RSVP business (because of school/life), but suddenly receive an offer for a wedding and they decide to continue. The wedding and all that surround it were fun, though I have to say I absolutely hated the woman who wanted the wedding (more on that in a bit). I loved how our girls just tried their best, did everything they could. Even when things didn't go as planned, they still tried to figure out everything. And these girls are 12/13, yet they are (with exception of 1 or 2 times) pretty awesome with this business and really handle it professionally. Not many 12/13 year old girls would be the same.
Even with that, the ages still really match with the girls. Sure, they act mature, but there are enough instances were they were still teenagers.

It took me a while to get used to the different POVs again. At first I didn't notice that there were more, until the moment someone was talking to Sadie, and I was like, but wasn't Sadie the character I was just reading the POV from? And then I checked, ah, this is (insert other character). :) But after a few bumps in the road I got used to it and I also could see the various personalities again of the various characters.

Now on the various characters.
Sadie and Becca are my favourite characters in this book. Sadie because she is just so awesome, and sweet, and tries so so hard. I also felt sorry for her, for the whole wedding thing and what that meant for her mom. I do wish she had just spoken honestly with her mother instead of letting it simmer until it boiled over. But, I can also see why she didn't do that. Her mother isn't the easiest at times.
I also love Sadie for how she is with her little sister. How she tries to do fun things with her, tries to involve her into stuff she does. Not many times will you read a book with such a great sister-relationship. Often it is arguments or fights. But not with these two. :)

Becca, ah Becca. I am not going to fall in love again Becca. Too bad girl, you can't stop love. You can't stop yourself from never falling for a cute boy. :)
Then that happens, and I just felt a bit sorry for her. I never had braces, but I can imagine that it isn't something you would want if you are a teenager. If you are in love with someone. If you want to impress someone.

Now for the other girls, I didn't particularly like them at times for various reasons.
Vi, Vi was such a cute, and interesting girl. But seriously, I was just so annoyed at her dumb reactions towards Lance. Instead of just talking to him, she ran away (what the hell is up with that), and she kept seeing stuff that wasn't there. OMG Lance is dancing with another girl, he must not like me/not want me/whatever else got in her dumb head. Bleh. :| And sadly this thing kept on going on and on and on. :|
Lance didn't help either, but then again, if a girl acts like Vi, I would also not dare to go to the girl.

Then we have Lauren. For most of the time I really liked her, but sorry, her scheduling and how she acted (especially during that one event at night), I just disliked her so much. Instead of feeling sorry for her, I was annoyed with her that she couldn't apparently find a midway in all those things. No, she had to Study, she had to Plan FUN. :| This is not how it works. :| And why are her parents not helping her more? I mean, you see your kid is struggling with planning, just pick it up with her and help her out.

Now for the last frustration point: The bride/the woman who asked our girls to do her wedding.
Dear Lord, I hated her so much. Expecting 12-year old girls to do everything you want (like going to Paris for eclairs or coming to your place at your every whim during night). I was just disgusted with this woman. I mean come on woman, don't get angry with them if they say no. They already do more than they are supposed to do, yet you never seem happy.
I don't get why none of the parents took charge. I know there were a few moments that almost had the parents do something, but the kids held them away. Sorry, but what? That wouldn't happen with my kids. I would just do something, even if they had some silly urge to proof they are awesome with their business.

But other than those 3 points (3 characters) I didn't have any problems with the book. It was fun, hilarious, and engaging. I also enjoyed the addition of the hurricane (I know this might sound wrong, but I meant it more in the way that it was exciting/interesting). We don't have hurricanes here, so reading about characters having to leave pets, homes and everything and then have to hope and pray that everything will still be there while hiding in a school. It gave the book some extra depth, especially with what happened during those hurricane filled pages.

All in all, I really loved this book, and I am hoping for a third book (since I am sure there is still so much left to be told. And I just will miss the characters (even those I didn't particularly like in this one). And I am sure there are still mountains of parties to be organized! Not to talk about all the romance that still can evolve!

Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/

[Jen Malone]

Why, yes, I did read this! I also (co)wrote it:) And I am so excited to share it with readers!!!

[Kelston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your invited too is a book about 4 bestfriends in a wedding buisness. Sadie, Lauren, Vi & Becca are 4 bestfriends in a wedding buisness the only problem is that they steal Sadies Moms clients & plan their wedding instead of Sadies doing it herself. But when that little secret is gets out to Sadies mom her mom is higly disapointed in the 4 girls. Sadie & her moms relationship is never the same. But this particulary clients the 4 bestfriends are dealing with is very strict & didnt even want ¨childeren¨ to plan her wedding anyways! So Mrs. Worginton is extra strict on them.

I would recommend this book to someone who like to plan alot of things!

[Christina (A Reader of Fictions) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Like the first, You’re Invited Too is precious and adorable. Plus, it’s the one in which two little baby middle grade ships set sail, so you know that was worth it.

The RSVP gang tackles their biggest challenge yet: a wedding. Dealing with the bridezilla, Alexandra Worthington, is definitely getting them down. It’s actually pretty cool both how much they struggle (since some of the bride’s requests they cannot do because of their age (like flying to Paris for specific eclairs) and how hard they work. I did like that, in the end, they did need help from adults to pull things together but that they came up with ideas and persevered on their own strengths. There’s a nice balance between upholding the skills of the kids and a dose of the real world.

The high points of the book for me are, of course, character relationships rather than wedding planning. Vi’s little romance with Lance beset by awkwardness and childish misunderstandings is mega cute. And Vi’s frustration with and ultimate acceptance of her father’s new job as her school’s janitor is very well executed. Malone and Nall also bring Sadie’s relationship with her mother to a nice conclusion, which is crucial since that started the whole series. Becca’s braces end up outshining her romance with French Philippe, which isn’t well-developed enough. The weak link was Lauren, who didn’t have a strong character arc here; she continues to struggle with balance between studies and recreation, but she doesn’t seem to really find it. The scene stealer of both books is Lauren’s grandmother, Bubby, who’s more of a teenager than any of the girls. She’s my absolute favorite.

So yeah, these books are just ridiculously cute. I do think they’d have worked better as YA, though, given the goals of Lauren especially and the fact that running an actual business is really hard. But hey, it’s good for middle graders to have aspirations.

[AMY · Rating 1 out of 5]

294 pages. This book features 7th graders. It is a story about girls who are starting a party planning business and meet their first client. The client's mother was fired by the same client earlier. Thus, the dilemma. I read one and half chapters/22 pages. It is all middle school related. Skip this one.

[Eleni · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was really good

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book always had something happening. It was very good!!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a review of two Aladdin Mix titles: The Icing on the Cake and You're Invited Too.

The Icing on the Cake is the second book in the Saturday Cooking Club series and You’re Invited Too is the sequel to You’re Invited. In The Icing on the Cake, Liza is about to turn thirteen and her grandmother, Nana Silver, is desperate to throw her a big fancy party, the thought of which makes Liza hugely uncomfortable. As she and her friends Frankie and Lillian look for ways to get out of the terrible party, they also begin to attend another of Chef Antonio’s cooking classes with their moms… and some cute boys. While Lillian struggles to make sense of a crush, Frankie begins trying to reinvent herself in the image of Lillian’s practically perfect sister, Katie. You’re Invited Too returns to Sandpiper Beach where the girls of RSVP - Vi, Sadie, Lauren, and Becca - have just stolen a wedding client away from Sadie’s mom. Unfortunately, Alexandra Worthington is a real Bridezilla, and the girls soon find themselves overwhelmed by her ridiculous demands. As Sadie handles the majority of the bride’s phone calls, Lauren frets over her slipping grades, Becca worries about her new braces, and Vi faces a mean girl in school who keeps teasing her about her dad’s new job as the janitor.

Both of these books are appealing to middle grade girls because they offer something for everyone. Each girl in each group of friends has a distinct personality and her own special interests and abilities, so it is likely that every reader can find at least one character to whom she can relate. The interactions between and among the girls are also compelling, as they bring to life the friendships and struggles that are common to all middle schoolers. Each book also presents a hopeful outlook on life, which asserts that good friends can help girls rise above all the drama of middle school life, including relationships with boys, bad grades, and mean girls.

Of the two books, The Icing on the Cake has somewhat stronger characters, while You’re Invited Too has a more memorable setting. Because there are only three girls in the Saturday Cooking Club series, I felt like I got to know each one a bit better, while the four characters in You’re Invited became a bit difficult to keep track of, especially when they each had such specific individual problems going on. Sandpiper Beach, however, is practically a character unto itself, and by the end of You’re Invited Too, when bad weather threatens the town, I could almost imagine being there myself, and I had a good sense of where things were located and who the significant townspeople were. While I can picture Chef Antonio’s kitchen, I honestly kept forgetting that Icing on the Cake is set in New York.

Both these books are quite lengthy, but neither is a laborious read. The breezy tone of each chapter and the fact that the point of view shifts frequently keep the stories moving quickly, and there is a never a sense that nothing is happening. Some readers might have trouble buying the fact that three tween girls take multiple classes from a celebrity chef, or that four tween girls can run an event planning business (that one was a stretch for me!) but most will appreciate the escapism of reading about these unlikely situations. Both of these books will be eagerly devoured by readers who have enjoyed previous Aladdin Mix titles, especially Kitchen Chaos, You’re Invited, and At Your Service. Other books like these about groups of friends include The Snob Squad series by Julie Anne Peters, the Nerd Girls series by Alan Lawrence Sitomer, and The Darlings books by Melissa Kantor.

[Katie A · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the first of this series--You're Invited--and was super excited when Jen Malone lent me You're Invited Too as an advance reader copy. Basically Sadie, Vi, Lauren, and Becca get hired to plan a wedding instead of their usual birthday parties. And as you might expect for some 12 year old girls planing a wedding they run into some unexpected issues, but even for their age they handle them magnificently. I loved the several references to doctor who and the occasional laugh-out-loud moment. Jen Malone and Gail Nall have outdone themselves again.

[Taylyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

All Was fine school was starting and the girls had a fantastic summer then all of a sudden the girls not only have to plan a wedding for the most outrageous person in the world but do that manage school work and more.On top of all that this wedding was in the hands of one of the girl's mother.

The great book! Really interesting and will have you reading for hours I loved it and don't want it to ever end.

[Melanie]

Second in the Please RSVP series, where four tween best friends form their own party planning business only to learn that having friends to bump through life with is the best cause of all for celebration.

[Janaki · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book is boring. But this book is TOTALLY AESOME!!!!!!!!! I totally recommend reading it.

P.S. You will have to read the first book or this book will not make sense AT ALL!!!

[Princess Swagg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the book

[Jen Petro-Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Totes adorable.