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Ocean City/Making Waves #3
Fireworks
While Chelsea debates whether or not to marry Conner, Kate worries about Justin's imminent departure and Grace lets her drinking get out of hand. Original.
- GenresYoung AdultRomanceTeen
256 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1993
11 people are currently reading
132 people want to read
About the author
Katherine Applegate
278 books6,377 followers#1 New York Times bestselling author Katherine Applegate has written many books for young readers, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, winner of the 2013 Newbery Medal.
Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books); THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books); SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books); and ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends).
She’s written or co-written three early chapter series for young readers: ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins); DOGGO AND PUPPER, a three-book series illustrated by Charlie Alder (Feiwel & Friends). With Gennifer Choldenko, she co-authored DOGTOWN and MOUSE AND HIS DOG, illustrated by Wallace West (Feiwel & Friends).
Books for middle-grade readers include HOME OF THE BRAVE (Feiwel & Friends); THE ONE AND ONLY series, illustrated by Patricia Castelao, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, THE ONE AND ONLY BOB, THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY, and THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY (HarperCollins); the ENDLING trilogy (HarperCollins); CRENSHAW (Feiwel & Friends); WISHTREE (Feiwel & Friends); WILLODEEN (Feiwel & Friends); ODDER (Feiwel & Friends); and the forthcoming POCKET BEAR (Feiwel & Friends).
With her husband, Michael Grant, Katherine co-wrote ANIMORPHS, a long-running series that has sold over 35 million books worldwide. They also wrote two other series, REMNANTS and EVERWORLD, and a young adult novel, EVE AND ADAM (Feiwel & Friends.)
Katherine’s work has been translated into dozens of languages, and her books have won accolades including the Christopher Medal, the Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street Josette Frank Award, the California Book Award Gold Medal, the Crystal Kite Award, the Green Earth Book Honor Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Many of her works have appeared on state master lists, Best of the Year lists, and Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and New York Times bestseller lists.
Katherine lives in Nevada with her husband and assorted pets. She is represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary and Mary Pender at WME.
Katherine’s picture books include THE BUFFALO STORM, illustrated by Jan Ormerod (Clarion Books); THE REMARKABLE TRUE STORY OF IVAN, THE SHOPPING MALL GORILLA, illustrated by G. Brian Karas (Clarion Books); SOMETIMES YOU FLY, illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt (Clarion Books); and ODDER: AN OTTER’S STORY, illustrated by Charles Santoso (Feiwel & Friends).
She’s written or co-written three early chapter series for young readers: ROSCOE RILEY RULES, a seven-book series illustrated by Brian Biggs (HarperCollins); DOGGO AND PUPPER, a three-book series illustrated by Charlie Alder (Feiwel & Friends). With Gennifer Choldenko, she co-authored DOGTOWN and MOUSE AND HIS DOG, illustrated by Wallace West (Feiwel & Friends).
Books for middle-grade readers include HOME OF THE BRAVE (Feiwel & Friends); THE ONE AND ONLY series, illustrated by Patricia Castelao, including THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, THE ONE AND ONLY BOB, THE ONE AND ONLY RUBY, and THE ONE AND ONLY FAMILY (HarperCollins); the ENDLING trilogy (HarperCollins); CRENSHAW (Feiwel & Friends); WISHTREE (Feiwel & Friends); WILLODEEN (Feiwel & Friends); ODDER (Feiwel & Friends); and the forthcoming POCKET BEAR (Feiwel & Friends).
With her husband, Michael Grant, Katherine co-wrote ANIMORPHS, a long-running series that has sold over 35 million books worldwide. They also wrote two other series, REMNANTS and EVERWORLD, and a young adult novel, EVE AND ADAM (Feiwel & Friends.)
Katherine’s work has been translated into dozens of languages, and her books have won accolades including the Christopher Medal, the Golden Kite Award, the Bank Street Josette Frank Award, the California Book Award Gold Medal, the Crystal Kite Award, the Green Earth Book Honor Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Award, and the E.B. White Read Aloud Award. Many of her works have appeared on state master lists, Best of the Year lists, and Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and New York Times bestseller lists.
Katherine lives in Nevada with her husband and assorted pets. She is represented by Elena Giovinazzo at Heirloom Literary and Mary Pender at WME.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 16, 2024
These books are so a slice of 90210! Absolutely loving this reread of books I haven't read in decades. So very 90s and I'm very ok with that!
June 7, 2023
* So Chelsea asks Connor to marry her again and he says yes! They decide to get married right away, and choose not to tell anyone. The housemates all find out though, and Kate and Grace try to put a stop to things by telling Chelsea that she's crazy to marry someone she's only known for 5 weeks, and that there's no rush. If Chelsea can't even tell her parents that she's getting married, then there must be something wrong.
* Justin's father who walked out on him when he was little turns up looking to make up with Justin. Justin doesn't want to know, but eventually hears his father out - he left because he was gay, and Justin's mother said she didn't want him to have any contact with Justin. Justin still doesn't want to know. Kate finds out that Justin's father has AIDS though, and that he might not have long left, so tried to help them patch things up, an eventually Justin seems to thaw a little.
* Alec jumps to the wrong conclusions when he sees Marta having lunch with 2 men, and goes off and chats up some girl on the beach. She then turns out to be the stripper at Connor's bachelor party.
* Grace has problems staying away from alcohol, and ends up called Beth at 2am one night for help because she really wants to drink.
* Kate and Grace decide that the only way to stop the wedding is by going on and on about all the details, dresses, shoes, rings, bridesmaids, bachelor parties etc. But it doesn't seem to work and the wedding is still on.
* Eventually all the housemates realise that Connor is in the country illegally, and that that is why they're getting married, they all go down to the church on the Saturday morning for the service, but a girl called Molly arrives claiming that Connor is already her husband! Apparently this isn't really try, but she claims that he's the father of her daughter. She hands the baby to Connor, goes to the bathroom and never comes back. The wedding doesn't go ahead, and Chelsea ends up holding the baby 🤦
* Justin's father who walked out on him when he was little turns up looking to make up with Justin. Justin doesn't want to know, but eventually hears his father out - he left because he was gay, and Justin's mother said she didn't want him to have any contact with Justin. Justin still doesn't want to know. Kate finds out that Justin's father has AIDS though, and that he might not have long left, so tried to help them patch things up, an eventually Justin seems to thaw a little.
* Alec jumps to the wrong conclusions when he sees Marta having lunch with 2 men, and goes off and chats up some girl on the beach. She then turns out to be the stripper at Connor's bachelor party.
* Grace has problems staying away from alcohol, and ends up called Beth at 2am one night for help because she really wants to drink.
* Kate and Grace decide that the only way to stop the wedding is by going on and on about all the details, dresses, shoes, rings, bridesmaids, bachelor parties etc. But it doesn't seem to work and the wedding is still on.
* Eventually all the housemates realise that Connor is in the country illegally, and that that is why they're getting married, they all go down to the church on the Saturday morning for the service, but a girl called Molly arrives claiming that Connor is already her husband! Apparently this isn't really try, but she claims that he's the father of her daughter. She hands the baby to Connor, goes to the bathroom and never comes back. The wedding doesn't go ahead, and Chelsea ends up holding the baby 🤦
February 24, 2012
I was obsessed with Katherine Applegate's Making Out (or Boyfriends and Girlfriends) and Making Waves (or Summer) series as a child/young teen, so I was pretty psyched when I found out that she'd written another series cut from the same cloth as the novels I'd read and re-read continuously in my youth. I'm enjoying the series fine so far but I'm not exactly devouring it the way I might have done had I discovered it 15 years ago.
The main arc of this instalment is the upcoming wedding of Irish illegal immigrant Connor and helpful, lovestruck American Chelsea. They are attracted to each other but are conflicted about getting married. Understandable considering Chelsea is fresh out of high school and Connor doesn't want to be tied down. They plan for this wedding for the whole book, arranging the church, having hen and stag parties, it's pretty ridiculous and in the end they don't go through with it after a very dramatic Irish woman storms the ceremony holding a baby. Elsewhere in Ocean City Grace is half-heartedly battling her alcohol addiction and the stoic lifeguard whose name I cannot remember shuns his estranged gay father.
This book was everything I expect and require from soap-on-paper Katherine Applegate novels. Two-dimensional characters dealing with delicate issues like addiction, race, immigration, disability, AIDS in a ridiculous melodramatic fashion. Totally inappropriate and insensitive but I'll allow it. This series was originally released twenty years ago and is intended for young teens, no offence to youngsters but they don't always appreciate the gravity of certain situations. I know I didn't!
The main arc of this instalment is the upcoming wedding of Irish illegal immigrant Connor and helpful, lovestruck American Chelsea. They are attracted to each other but are conflicted about getting married. Understandable considering Chelsea is fresh out of high school and Connor doesn't want to be tied down. They plan for this wedding for the whole book, arranging the church, having hen and stag parties, it's pretty ridiculous and in the end they don't go through with it after a very dramatic Irish woman storms the ceremony holding a baby. Elsewhere in Ocean City Grace is half-heartedly battling her alcohol addiction and the stoic lifeguard whose name I cannot remember shuns his estranged gay father.
This book was everything I expect and require from soap-on-paper Katherine Applegate novels. Two-dimensional characters dealing with delicate issues like addiction, race, immigration, disability, AIDS in a ridiculous melodramatic fashion. Totally inappropriate and insensitive but I'll allow it. This series was originally released twenty years ago and is intended for young teens, no offence to youngsters but they don't always appreciate the gravity of certain situations. I know I didn't!
March 16, 2010
Katherine Applegate, Sweet (17th Street Press, 1993)
The third book in Applegate's 90210-on-the-Atlantic series picks up where book two left off, and then throws a couple of monkeywrenches into the mix: first, Justin's father shows up, creating a storm of emotion (especially when he reveals the real reason he abandoned the family in the first place); second, after a very close call with Immigration officials, Chelsea proposes to Connor. While some of the other storylines (Alec's relationship with Marta, Grace's continuing battle with the bottle) continue on in this one, those are the two main plot arcs. Applegate, who's probably written more juvenile/YA genre books than you've had hot meals (almost 150 are listed at fantasticfiction, and that's excluding the reprinting of the Atlantic City series as Making Waves seven years later), has this sort of thing down to a Barbara Cartland-like science, so you can rest assured that if you pick up one of Applegate's books, you're going to be entertained. I grant you two-dimensional characters and predictable situations, but let's face it, this is soap opera in book form. You knew what you were getting into when you picked it up. This is classified under guilty pleasure, and it is that indeed. ***
The third book in Applegate's 90210-on-the-Atlantic series picks up where book two left off, and then throws a couple of monkeywrenches into the mix: first, Justin's father shows up, creating a storm of emotion (especially when he reveals the real reason he abandoned the family in the first place); second, after a very close call with Immigration officials, Chelsea proposes to Connor. While some of the other storylines (Alec's relationship with Marta, Grace's continuing battle with the bottle) continue on in this one, those are the two main plot arcs. Applegate, who's probably written more juvenile/YA genre books than you've had hot meals (almost 150 are listed at fantasticfiction, and that's excluding the reprinting of the Atlantic City series as Making Waves seven years later), has this sort of thing down to a Barbara Cartland-like science, so you can rest assured that if you pick up one of Applegate's books, you're going to be entertained. I grant you two-dimensional characters and predictable situations, but let's face it, this is soap opera in book form. You knew what you were getting into when you picked it up. This is classified under guilty pleasure, and it is that indeed. ***
March 6, 2024
Fireworks
Oh, this one is a ball!
We get Connor and Chelsea deciding to get married to prevent Connor from being deported.
Justin has to deal with tragic news about the father who abandoned him.
Grace tries desperately to get a hold of her drinking
And Alec is very insecure about his relationship with Marta.
A great nostalgic read! (It came out in the late 1900's)
Oh, this one is a ball!
We get Connor and Chelsea deciding to get married to prevent Connor from being deported.
Justin has to deal with tragic news about the father who abandoned him.
Grace tries desperately to get a hold of her drinking
And Alec is very insecure about his relationship with Marta.
A great nostalgic read! (It came out in the late 1900's)
August 30, 2015
This book is the first book I read whole when I was about 12 and I finished and I was reading it on my way ocean city which is weird lol but I love this book and I have to buy the rest of series to finish it I'm 18 now and I couldn't find it any where at the time but I will now
January 19, 2018
Unfortunately this installment did not hold up as well as the others from the mid 90s. The plot thread invoking Justin’s dad is pretty dated. However you could also look at pas a good thing that we’ve come along way. I’m being vague to avoid spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews