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The Dating Games #4
Prom Date
The girls of the DG are back this time focused on the biggest date of the year--the prom. Will they discover their friendship is more important than any one date?
224 pages, Paperback
First published July 14, 2015
2 people are currently reading
510 people want to read
About the author
Melody Carlson
424 books3,289 followersMelody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspirational market for her books, including the Notes from a Spinning Planet series and Finding Alice, which is in production as a Lifetime Television movie. She and her husband serve on the Young Life adult committee in central Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
February 19, 2020
About this book:
“The stakes have never been higher for the girls of the Dating Games club. But can one glittery night ever live up to their expectations?
The girls of the Dating Games club have learned a lot this year--about boys, dating, friendship, and themselves. Now the school year is wrapping up, and the biggest date of all looms on the horizon: prom.
With this new challenge comes a lot of extra pressure and expectations. Everyone wants the perfect dress, the perfect date, the perfect dance. But when one of their own needs their support, can they make the biggest night of the year about something bigger than themselves?
Join Cassidy, Devon, Abby, Bryn, and Emma for one last dance that promises to be one they'll remember for the rest of their lives--and for friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Series: Book #4 in “The Dating Games” series. Review of Book #1 Here!, #2 Here!, and #3 Here!
Spiritual Content- Set at a Christian high school; Prayers; Going to a youth group; Talks about God & His love; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God & His love; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of a Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, youth groups, sermons, & pastors (including a female co-youth pastor).
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘shut up’, two ‘duh’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; Lots of eye rolling; Some sarcasm; Mentions of leukemia; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of divorces & fathers leaving their families; A few mentions of an alcoholic father & a mom who was addicted to pain pills; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of rumors & gossip; A couple mentions of a husband abusing his wife; A couple mentions of being drunk (and underage Book #2);
*Note: Mentions of the Oscars, celebrities, & songs; Mentions of brand names & designers (including Apple products); A couple mentions of social media.
Sexual Content- a ‘chick’, two ‘hooker’s, and eight ‘hot’s; All about many mentions of boys, boyfriends/girlfriends, & dating; Many mentions of dances & dates; Mentions of male attention; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a husband leaving his wife for another woman; A couple mentions of a cheek kiss; A mention of abstaining from sex; A mention of what a guy really wants;
*Note: A few mentions of a dress with a plunging neckline; A few mentions of bare shoulders & strapless dresses; A couple mentions of a girl’s curvy figure; A mention of a girl usually wearing too-tight clothes; A mention of an idea feeling sexist.
-Devon Fremont, age 16/17
-Cassidy Banks, age 16/17
-Emma Parks, age 16/17
-Bryn Jacobs, age 16/17
-Abby Morrison, age 16/17
P.O.V. switches between them
209 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
Was this my favorite Melody Carlson series? No, probably not, but this last book made the series much better. I really enjoyed seeing how the girls all grew in character and towards each other through these four books—about a year in the series’ setting. I think it would have been fun if there were some name dropping of prior characters in past series by this author, but it was still a good series. I would love to see how all the girls are doing, though, so maybe a novella could happen? It would be nice. ;)
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.
“The stakes have never been higher for the girls of the Dating Games club. But can one glittery night ever live up to their expectations?
The girls of the Dating Games club have learned a lot this year--about boys, dating, friendship, and themselves. Now the school year is wrapping up, and the biggest date of all looms on the horizon: prom.
With this new challenge comes a lot of extra pressure and expectations. Everyone wants the perfect dress, the perfect date, the perfect dance. But when one of their own needs their support, can they make the biggest night of the year about something bigger than themselves?
Join Cassidy, Devon, Abby, Bryn, and Emma for one last dance that promises to be one they'll remember for the rest of their lives--and for friendships that will last a lifetime.”
Series: Book #4 in “The Dating Games” series. Review of Book #1 Here!, #2 Here!, and #3 Here!
Spiritual Content- Set at a Christian high school; Prayers; Going to a youth group; Talks about God & His love; ‘H’s are not capitalized when referring to God; Mentions of God & His love; Mentions of prayers & praying; Mentions of a Bible; Mentions of churches, church going, youth groups, sermons, & pastors (including a female co-youth pastor).
Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a form of ‘shut up’, two ‘duh’s, and eight ‘stupid’s; Lots of eye rolling; Some sarcasm; Mentions of leukemia; Mentions of lies & lying; Mentions of divorces & fathers leaving their families; A few mentions of an alcoholic father & a mom who was addicted to pain pills; A few mentions of jealousy; A few mentions of rumors & gossip; A couple mentions of a husband abusing his wife; A couple mentions of being drunk (and underage Book #2);
*Note: Mentions of the Oscars, celebrities, & songs; Mentions of brand names & designers (including Apple products); A couple mentions of social media.
Sexual Content- a ‘chick’, two ‘hooker’s, and eight ‘hot’s; All about many mentions of boys, boyfriends/girlfriends, & dating; Many mentions of dances & dates; Mentions of male attention; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a husband leaving his wife for another woman; A couple mentions of a cheek kiss; A mention of abstaining from sex; A mention of what a guy really wants;
*Note: A few mentions of a dress with a plunging neckline; A few mentions of bare shoulders & strapless dresses; A couple mentions of a girl’s curvy figure; A mention of a girl usually wearing too-tight clothes; A mention of an idea feeling sexist.
-Devon Fremont, age 16/17
-Cassidy Banks, age 16/17
-Emma Parks, age 16/17
-Bryn Jacobs, age 16/17
-Abby Morrison, age 16/17
P.O.V. switches between them
209 pages
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- One Star
New Teens- One Star
Early High School Teens- Two Stars
Older High School Teens- Three Stars
My personal Rating- Three Stars
Was this my favorite Melody Carlson series? No, probably not, but this last book made the series much better. I really enjoyed seeing how the girls all grew in character and towards each other through these four books—about a year in the series’ setting. I think it would have been fun if there were some name dropping of prior characters in past series by this author, but it was still a good series. I would love to see how all the girls are doing, though, so maybe a novella could happen? It would be nice. ;)
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.
July 20, 2016
I liked the part when all the guys were asking the girls to prom.
February 19, 2021
I'm getting deeper into my to-read pile (s). Only about three years behind now. I picked this one up when I was digging through a huge bin at a thrift store, which is pure delight. Form the title, I expected this one to be a light and fluffy read. And it was, in many ways a fun, light novel, but it had much more substance than I expected, in a good way. It featured a group of friends preparing for prom, and trying to get dates, but it also spotlighted their friendship, a younger sister's health scare, and even some Christian living. Although, the Christian aspects of the book, focus on charity and compassion, and brief mentions of going to youth group and reading the Bible. It's not overt or preachy, so that those who are not people of faith could enjoy the book as well. I also liked that, although, it's part of a series, you get enough background on the characters to follow the story. It works as a stand alone novel, which is how I read it.
The girls of the Dating Game club are looking for dates for the biggest event of the year: Prom. There are a few complications along the way, such as a prom boycott, a health scare in the family of one of the girls, and the reluctance of the guys to ask the girls to prom. The girls of the Dating Game are not discouraged, and come up with ingenious solutions. As the promposals begin to go off, will the girls all find dates for the big night? And along the way, might they find that their friendship is move valuable than any date? Read this light and fun, yet substantive novel to find out. I highly recommend it.
The girls of the Dating Game club are looking for dates for the biggest event of the year: Prom. There are a few complications along the way, such as a prom boycott, a health scare in the family of one of the girls, and the reluctance of the guys to ask the girls to prom. The girls of the Dating Game are not discouraged, and come up with ingenious solutions. As the promposals begin to go off, will the girls all find dates for the big night? And along the way, might they find that their friendship is move valuable than any date? Read this light and fun, yet substantive novel to find out. I highly recommend it.
January 5, 2021
The girls are back together and with prom on the horizon, they decide that should be their next DG challenge. No sooner do they decide this than the boys take the latest message from their youth pastor to heart and decide to boycott prom. Soon it goes from not going to prom, to they should cancel it. Bryn won't stand for this. She has been waiting her whole life for prom and she won't let some silly boys take it away from her. When they discover Felicia's little sister has leukemia and their insurance won't cover the care she needs, Bryn has a moment of inspiration: turn prom into a fundraiser for the cancer treatments and then anybody who wants to cancel prom would then just look heartless. The real test is then convincing the student body they can have a great prom and still raise money for someone in need. Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?
I did like the book, although some of the plot line was weak. The last few chapters were rushed and the ending was rather vague. Not to spoil anything but someone was going to do something and the powers that be found out right before it was too late. I also know that this is the series finale, but it was a little lacking in final details. We don't know what happens to Devin or Sophia, and they say they will do more fundraisers but we will never know what they did or how successful they will be because they only do prom. But as a book on its own it was pretty good
I did like the book, although some of the plot line was weak. The last few chapters were rushed and the ending was rather vague. Not to spoil anything but someone was going to do something and the powers that be found out right before it was too late. I also know that this is the series finale, but it was a little lacking in final details. We don't know what happens to Devin or Sophia, and they say they will do more fundraisers but we will never know what they did or how successful they will be because they only do prom. But as a book on its own it was pretty good
June 23, 2017
I liked this one a lot. Not as much as the first, but it was good! Warning, *SPOILERS*
Prom! The big dance for every high school girl and yet the boys are having a petition to cancel it! Luckily, DG have some good fire to shoot back at the boys and they end up getting put in charge of Prom. This year, all the money put into Prom will be sent to Felicia’s little sister who has cancer and can’t get the treatment unless her family finds some money for it. So it’s more than just going to prom. It’s about helping a little girl who’s sick.
A really fun part of this book, though, was the promposals. They were really fun to read! I won’t spoil anymore, though, and I’ll let you read it!
Prom! The big dance for every high school girl and yet the boys are having a petition to cancel it! Luckily, DG have some good fire to shoot back at the boys and they end up getting put in charge of Prom. This year, all the money put into Prom will be sent to Felicia’s little sister who has cancer and can’t get the treatment unless her family finds some money for it. So it’s more than just going to prom. It’s about helping a little girl who’s sick.
A really fun part of this book, though, was the promposals. They were really fun to read! I won’t spoil anymore, though, and I’ll let you read it!
February 5, 2017
No, I didn't finish this book. I finally could not handle the soap opera quality and mediocre writing anymore. I stuck with it this long because I wanted to find out the ending, I liked that it is faith-based writing, and I honestly thought it would get better. I also had more time to read...I know, crazy to stop at the beginning of the FOURTH book, but...that's what happened.
September 12, 2015
3.5 Stars
I was in the mood for a quick and light read. This did the trick. This is a really cute book that is part of a series but it is written in a way that you can enjoy it as a stand alone. I do think a younger audience might enjoy it more so if you have a preteen kid this would be a great read. You don't have to worry about content being too racy for younger readers.
This is the first book I've read by Melody and I really like her writing style. I will be checking out other books by her and I think I'll check out the other books in this series. I really love the idea that was used in the book. That is something that could be used in real life. It shows that even a kid can make a huge difference in another person's life.
A lot of books are lacking in the friendship department but this book isn't one of them. The main focus is on a friendship between a group of girls. They band together and fight to make sure they get a prom when the possibility of it getting cancelled becomes a possibility. It is light and fluffy with a great message to it. I really enjoy reading about the girls friendships and how they grow and change throughout the book.
I would like to thank Revell for sending me a copy of this book to review.
http://www.ficgal.com/book-club/prom-...
I was in the mood for a quick and light read. This did the trick. This is a really cute book that is part of a series but it is written in a way that you can enjoy it as a stand alone. I do think a younger audience might enjoy it more so if you have a preteen kid this would be a great read. You don't have to worry about content being too racy for younger readers.
This is the first book I've read by Melody and I really like her writing style. I will be checking out other books by her and I think I'll check out the other books in this series. I really love the idea that was used in the book. That is something that could be used in real life. It shows that even a kid can make a huge difference in another person's life.
A lot of books are lacking in the friendship department but this book isn't one of them. The main focus is on a friendship between a group of girls. They band together and fight to make sure they get a prom when the possibility of it getting cancelled becomes a possibility. It is light and fluffy with a great message to it. I really enjoy reading about the girls friendships and how they grow and change throughout the book.
I would like to thank Revell for sending me a copy of this book to review.
http://www.ficgal.com/book-club/prom-...
January 25, 2020
After having read the series in its entirety, I can say that it was well worth the time! Melody Carlson created characters with depth, and whose lives were believable just as if they were everyday people. I actually found myself thinking about what happened after this, and then realized that that is a mark of a good book/series! It was entertaining all-around.
In Prom Date, the girls from the DG will do anything to keep their prom from being ruled out as an outdated tradition. And, since they want dates, they devise a way to make that happen - all while helping out a friend in need. I think what makes the plot work (and in each specific plot from the overall series) is the fact that the students and faculty are Christian. Not that this couldn't have been told in a public school setting either - but sometimes it feels like the media and entertainment industry as a whole really portray private schools in a negative light, highlighting what's wrong with them, rather than what's right. I went through public education, but reading The Dating Games series has me wishing my high school experience could have been a little bit more philanthropic and helpful towards dating!!!
In Prom Date, the girls from the DG will do anything to keep their prom from being ruled out as an outdated tradition. And, since they want dates, they devise a way to make that happen - all while helping out a friend in need. I think what makes the plot work (and in each specific plot from the overall series) is the fact that the students and faculty are Christian. Not that this couldn't have been told in a public school setting either - but sometimes it feels like the media and entertainment industry as a whole really portray private schools in a negative light, highlighting what's wrong with them, rather than what's right. I went through public education, but reading The Dating Games series has me wishing my high school experience could have been a little bit more philanthropic and helpful towards dating!!!
May 5, 2016
Really good book! I wish I had already read the others in the series, so I would have been more knowledgeable about what had already happened....I feel like I missed all the backstory. Though this one really had some fun parts to it, with the girls going to Hollywood and the main big story about prom. I love all of the promposals, with different guys asking girls to the prom in big, flashy ways. That was really creative. I enjoyed being a part of this high school world with the friends who help each other out with whatever is going on in their lives. I appreciated the way the girls centered the prom around being a fundraiser for the little girl with cancer, who needed better treatment. Overall, this was a good story, with some fun moments...I recommend it. Thanks to goodreads and the publisher for providing the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 15, 2016
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway and I thank you for choosing me. Melody Carlson does it again! She writes a good, clean young adult book about the struggles of young adults and the coming of age in a wholesome manner. I laughed, cried and celebrated with the Dc club as they struggled through identity issues, made awareness assessments and good life choices. I loved the idea about promposals and the fundraiser to help Sophia. Carlson proves again and again that wholesome writing can be a lucrative career. I will continue to read as she continues to write.
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October 27, 2015F CAR dg bk.4
October 31, 2015
All in all, this was a pretty cute series that definitely got better as it went along. I loved how it ended, though I do wish we got a little more closure with the girls and their lives.
April 28, 2016
A fitting ending to this quadrilogy. If you've read the series up to this point, you should definitely check out this final volume.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews