New Horizons

Mandie: Her College Days #1

by Lois Gladys Leppard

It's 1906, and Mandie and Celia are off to college. Newly arrived at the exclusive Charleston Ladies' College, the girls are faced with a campus full of unfamiliar faces and fresh challenges. Despite Mandie's best efforts to make new friends, however, most of her classmates will have nothing to do with her. It's a mystery Mandie can't fathom. To make matters worse, April Snow--Mandie's rival from the Misses Heathwood's School for Girls--has also enrolled in the college. Could she be in?uencing the others to give Mandie and Celia the cold shoulder? Her College Years Book 1.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Young Adult, Christian, Mystery, Christian Fiction, Childrens, Historical

222 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2006

About the author

Lois Gladys Leppard was the author of the Mandie series of children's novels. Leppard wrote her first Mandie story when she was only eleven and a half years old, but did not become a professional author until she was an adult. Leppard has also worked as a professional singer, actress, and playwright. At one time, she and her two sisters, Sybil and Louise, formed a singing group called the Larke Sisters.
There are forty Mandie books in the main series, an eight-book junior series and several other titles. Leppard said that she could write a Mandie book in two weeks, barring any interruptions.
The eponymous heroine lives in North Carolina in the early 1900s, encountering adventure and solving mysteries with help from her friends, family, and pet cat, Snowball. These young reader novels are meant to teach morals as well as be fun and captivating stories to read. Leppard stated that her books contain "nothing occult or vulgar", and Mandie is depicted as a faithful Christian. The Mandie books often deal with issues of discrimination and prejudice relating to race (particularly with regard to the local Cherokee), class, and disability.
Lois Gladys Leppard based some of the incidents in her Mandie books on her mother's experiences growing up in North Carolina. The dedication in the first book is: "For My Mother, Bessie A. Wilson Leppard, and In Memory of Her Sister, Lillie Margaret Ann Wilson Frady, Orphans of North Carolina Who Outgrew the Sufferings of Childhood".

Reviews

[Lindsey (Books for Christian Girls) · Rating 4 out of 5]

About this book:

“Mandie Shaw and Celia Hamilton have finally arrived at the elite Charleston Ladies’ College, a move they have been looking forward to for many months. The girls were ready for a campus of unfamiliar faces and fresh challenges, but despite Mandie’s best efforts to make new friends, most of her classmates will have nothing to do with her. It’s a mystery Mandie simply can’t fathom.
To makes matters worse, something strange seems to be going on in Charleston. There has been talk about a ghost sighting. Does that have anything to do with the old locksmith who has suddenly disappeared? Mandie is determined to find out.
With Mandie awaiting the birth of her new brother or sister, not to mention some significant interest shown by George Stewart, a young British fellow, Mandie is in for her most exciting year yet!”


Series: The only book in the “Mandie: Her College Days” series. (To read the reviews of the previous books in main series, click the number to be taken to that review: #1! #2! #3! #4! #5! #6! #7! #8! #9! #10! #11! #12! #13! #14! #15! #16! #17! #18! #19! #20! #21! #22! #23! #24! #25! #26! #27! #28! #29! #30! #31! #32! #33! #34! #35! #36! #37! #38! #39! And #40!) {There also is the “Young Mandie Mystery” series, (Book #1 review Here and Book #2 review Here!) but they do not connect together well.}


Spiritual Content- A couple Scriptures are quoted, mentioned, & prayed; Prayers, Blessings over food, & Thanking God; Going to chapel & sermons; ‘H’s are capital when referring to God; Mentions of prayers, praying, & thanking God; Mentions of churches, a chapel, going to chapel/church, Mass, services, a minister, & sermons; Mentions of hymns;
*Note: Mentions of places that are rumored to be haunted, ghosts, & believing ghosts are/aren’t real; A couple mentions of devilish boys.


Negative Content- Minor cussing including: a ‘shucks’ and a ‘stupid’; A carriage accident & injuries (barely-above-not-detailed); Mentions of a war & deaths; Mentions of a death from an accident (no details at all); Mentions of burglaries; Mentions of lies & rumors; A few mentions of jealousy; A couple mentions of a girl who was killed by a runaway horse; A couple mentions of hatred; A mention of a death from a horse accident; A mention of jail; A mention of a cat who died (not Snowball); A mention of a hunting trip.


Sexual Content- Mentions of boys, being interested in them, & getting married; Mentions of Mandie & Joe (possibly) marrying when they’re older; A few mentions of blushes & falling in love; A few mentions of love letters; A few mentions of a boy-crazy girl & her wanting to meet good-looking boys; A mention of Celia liking when boys look at her (she says it makes her feel like something worth looking at);
*Note: A few mentions of a mother having life-threatening problems after giving birth; A few mentions of an infant who passed away.

-Amanda “Mandie” Shaw, age 16
P.O.V. of Mandie & a bit of Celia’s
Set in 1904-1905 (?)
222 pages

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Pre Teens- Two Stars
New Teens- Three Stars
Early High School Teens- Four Stars
Older High School Teens- Four Stars
My personal Rating- Four Stars
Forget every other book I have called ‘bittersweet’. This one takes the cake.
Being the official last Mandie book due to the author’s passing right after this book was published, “New Horizons” was the definition of bittersweet. While I may have read the actual Mandie series again and again, this was my first time reading the only college days book, so I was feeling all kinds of emotions.
There are four main points I’d like to discussion about this book:
1.) Right off the bat it’s very noticeable that the writing style is different compared to the previous Mandie books. While those might seem more elementary as times in the dialogue and actions, this one definitely felt more polished and mature. Possibly because it was the start to a new start for the beloved Mandie stories?
2.) Mandie and her grandmother are more alike than they realize. Both have many admirers, but Mandie and those boys. (I need other teen boys to stay away from my Mandie and Joe ship, pleaseandthankyou. Don’t even look at Mandie. Go away.)
3.) On a continuing note of Mandie and her admirers: Two more are added in this book and, yes, I do realize that it’s a bit crazy how much attention Mandie draws.
4.) The ending. How many times am I allowed to say ‘bittersweet’ in this review? We don’t know who Mandie ended up marrying, if Mrs. Taft got re-married, along with many other spoiler-ish things I won’t mention here, but you can bet your last dollar I’m a forever Mandie+Joe shipper. Even when the series is over. :’)


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.

[Tarissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mandie Shaw and her best friend Celia Hamilton have finally made it to college -- Charleston Ladies' College, to be exact.

My thoughts?
Awww... I'm sad that the Mandie series really is over. It is a series that I loved during my childhood. And here's Mandie all grown-up, going to college now. And again, that series is over too (before it could even really get going). Yes, there's only to be 1 book in the Mandie: Her College Days series.

This book is quite different than the previous series. I could tell from the start that New Horizons stepped up the game in terms of writing style (yes!), the not quite so stilted dialogue, and some in the (slightly) maturing characters. Snowball doesn't get to make as much of an appearance in this volume (which means he can't escape from Mandie so easily, if she doesn't have him with her, now can he? ha ha ha!). But all our favorite characters appear somewhere in the storyline.

To be honest though, the plot is pretty loose. The mystery itself doesn't stand out greatly as a big mystery... but it was all a fun throwback to the original Mandie series. It has some good elements in the plot, and I'm just thrilled that the author was able to fit in one final chapter of Mandie's life for us committed fans.

(It still left me with unanswered questions though. And if you're a fan like me, you'll know WHICH unanswered question irritates me the most that I'll just never know... But I can hope. And so can you.)

A clean read. Suitable for tweens and up.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmm. I used to love the Mandie books so much. I don't know if I've changed or the writing has. One thing I know is Mandie hasn't changed, at all, since was she about 14. She's starting college and she's still spoiled and bratty and a big snob. The worst thing is she's a reverse snob, super self-righteous and judgmental about everyone else who has money. If someone doesn't smile at her or fawn all over her, she immediately condemns them as being snobs and talks about how much better she is than them because she's one fourth Cherokee.

Okay, rant over. But it's frustrating that she hasn't grown as a person in the last 20 books or so.

It's also getting old that every book has to have a mystery. This mystery was super boring, dragged on (like the rest of the book) and then resolved in a throwaway sentence, like the author forgot about it (likely) and then had to quickly hand wave it away.

The major conflict of the book was resolved in like manner. Mandie versus the girls at her school, each side thinking the other was snobby (obviously I'm siding with the girls). Mandie gets knocked unconscious due to her own selfishness, and suddenly the girls feel like apologizing for thinking she's spoiled and realize she is bossy and self-righteous for their own good, I guess.

Nothing really happens that hasn't happened a million times before. Mandie steamrolls Celia,leads Joe on while insisting she isn't, and everyone loves her.

Reflecting on all this, I should probably give this 1 star, but out of affection for what used to be, I'll keep it at 2.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh! How to review this book! In many ways, I approached it with no expectations and a series of warnings from Hope.
I did not expect to like the ending.
I was prepared to get irritated with Mandie.
I knew I was going to be frustrated with Mandie's behavior towards Joe.
I was informed there was, like, no mystery.
And, in many ways, I got exactly that. I found Mandie to be whiny, obnoxious, and very often rude. I was irritated with her behavior (I don't recall it being so bad in the other books). The book clearly sets up for a sequal (or at least attempts too - sadness that we'll never find out what happens) and I felt bad for Joe, whose only problem is only that he has known Mandie her whole life (thus, she doesn't like considering him) And, yes, the ending irritated me. As a whole, the book was put together badly. Characters go from one scene to the next with minimal interaction, and no point. Whole chapters on "Thanksgiving" or "Christmas" break, great opportunities for some dialouge, are simply a way to re-introduce characters. And SERIOUSLY - are Elizabeth and John Shaw nuts? Letting Mandie name their kids....Carol and Carl? I have nothing against those names...but somehow, I found that entire scene was lacking as if a second grader had written it. Though Leppard repeatedly mentions that you would never talk about a lady's pregnancy...Mrs. Shaw sure had those kids fast.

All that said, and a whole lot left unsaid, I experienced an emotion reading the book that I entirely did not expect. It was excitment. Joy, even. Pleasure. Satisfaction. From the age of 7 to maybe as old as 12, Mandie was my heroine. I read every book in the series and sometimes re-read them. I faithfully remembered every character. I kept a running tally of every guy Mandie might end up with (rooting for Joe, of course). I even named every white cat (from stuffed animals to figurines) Snowball!

But time passes....I'm now 'grown up.' Characters fade into shadowed memories...until I picked up the book again. And with those beginning words..."I must remind myself that I am now a young lady entering collge..." I'm transported - not to my childhood, for that is a world I have yet to completely leave - but to a world I haven't entered in many years, a world where nothing can touch me and everything will work out. I don't know if that makes sense. It was like meeting an old friend you've almsot forgotten...and suddenly remembering how much fun you've had together. Being able to 'get the gang together' and read about Mandie, Joe, Jonathan, Celia, Sallie....April Snow...Robert, Tommy, and Adrian (who, btw, I have almost no memory of) was like a sweet home coming.
I am truly sorry there won't be any more books. I don't know if I expressed it right...what its like to read Mandie again. Its kind of like what Cornelia Funke says in Inkheart,
"Isn't it odd how much fatter a book gets when you've read it several times?" Mo had said..."As if something were left between the pages every time you read it. Feelings, thoughts, sounds, smells...and then, when you look at the book again many years later, you find yourself there, too, a slightly younger self, slightly different, as if the book had preserved you like a pressed flower...both strange and familiar."
There are differences, of course. I'd never read Mandie's College days before, but its the same principle. Going back to the series.

Finally, I just want to end with a quote by Cornelia Funke. I know I'm not the only one that will mourn the loss of Lois Gladys Leppard, even if this particular plot was...eh...uninspiring She still wrote a series that charmed girls of all ages. Mandie may be currently stuck in college....but she'll never 'die' as long as she holds her place in the hearts like mine.


"Stories never really end...even if the books like to pretend they do. Stories always go on. They don't end on the last page, any more than they begin on the first page." (Inkheart)

[Megan Wilcox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read the Mandie series like...forever ago. Loved them when I read them. xD

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't recommend this Mandie book to my daughter simply because the main character doesn't always have the attitude that I'd like to see in my children.

[Anna · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this was not written very well, at least not like the Mandie books I remember from my child hood. It was a lot of weird stuff together without a lot of connecting it and there was supposed to be a mystery of a ghost that never got solved and there was no real answer for why the girls ignored Mandie and her friend.

[Ruth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I grew up with and loved the Mandie books. The author wrote this book on her deathbed and it shows. No actual plot, horrible dialog, and several loose ends with no ability to anticipate their ending in further books. Definitely a let down.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book because it reminded me of when I read the mandie series for the first time when I was younger . I only have it 3 stars because there wasn’t a plot :( it was read to just finish and ut

[Grace - · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was really good! I read the whole Mandie series, ending on this one. I'm so sad I'm done with the Mandie books! This would be a five star book but the author seemed to forget to fully close the mystery. I don't know who is the culprit for one of the mysteries, which I'm not going to say because I don't want to spoil it for any readers. There was a suspect but it never really said who actually is the culprit. But besides that this book was awesome! Mandie and her best friend Celia go to the College of Charleston but are not welcomed by the other girls there. When mysterious things start happing at the boarding house Mandie and Celia moved into they are determined to find out what really is going on! A great story for young adult Mandie fans!

[Mindy Howell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the last book in the series. I kept waiting for the next book to come out and it never did. I found out a year after Ms. Lois Gladys Leppard died when they released the 1st Mandie movie. I was very sad. I grew up reading these books (most of what I have are 1st editions because I would usually pre-order her next book.). Highly recommend all the Mandie books for young readers who love mysteries.

[Pen]

I had high hopes for a nostalgic reentry in to the world of childhood favorites. However I was disappointed. There wasn’t really a mystery. Many questions were left unresolved. And there was a lack of depth to both plot and characters. Sad to see the story end here, as I really did want to know the answers to some of those unresolved questions.

[Janelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

I grew up on the Mandie books, but this one fell flat for me. Little storyline, slow plot and incomplete "resolution" left this one disappointing me. I think I'll go back and reread the earlier books!

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot line was weak. I was skimming by the end.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the Mandie books growing up, and I still enjoy them even though they're written in a very juvenile style. This book was the last book the author was able to write, and I was very hopeful when I discovered its existence, but I was greatly disappointed in the book. Most of the book consists of chunks of fast description and very little dialogue; the main mystery was never satisfactorily explained, and most of the plot hung on the fact that she was mistreated by other college girls because of her family's wealth and her grandmother's tendency to roll over any school officials trying to treat Mandie as equal to other students. Despite the fact that Mandie is in college, I had to remind myself that she was starting college at 15, not 18 as kids do today; otherwise her juvenile behavior would have been even more off-putting than it was. There were so many loose ends left dangling, and the plot tried to cover far too much time in too few pages so that it was hard to follow what was happening. The first 40 books in the series were good even if it seemed that she had far too many school vacations over the years and didn't emotionally mature a great deal between the ages of 11 and 15, I will always have great nostalgia about Mandie and will ever assume that eventually she would get over her wishy-washy mentality and marry Joe.

[Jez · Rating 4 out of 5]

As much as I want to give this 5 stars, I'm still annoyed that Leppard introduced yet another suitor who is so nice I can't even hate him for interfering with all my ships. So, yes, I'm giving it 4 stars out of misplaced bitterness. I really, really wish the author had lived long enough to continue this series. There are so many loose ends I'd like to have tied and I will probably always wonder who Leppard would have chosen for Mandie to marry, someday. That question will haunt me forever, not even kidding. If Mandie fanfiction ever appears online, you can assume I've written it.

But more than that, I miss this series. I miss new books and I miss Mandie. This series was such a formative part of my adolescence, my love of reading, my obsession with the 1900s, and even my Christianity. I grew up with Mandie--we even went to college about the same time (in terms of publication, at least, we're 100 years apart otherwise!). I remember joining the Mandie Fan Club (no, seriously) and I remember the author's terrible, terrible website, and I remember learning about her death in 2008. There's a spot in my heart where the Mandie books and Ms. Leppard will always be, next to a tiny hole of what could have been.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

I grew up reading the MANDIE books, and loved them... so I read this with the same anticipation. The result? Major letdown! The storyline was sooo slooowwww, yet moved way too quickly over a vast period of time. It had very little plot, next no no mystery, horrible dialog, and various loose ends... that will never be tied up, due to the fact the author wrote this on her deathbed. I tried to give it a shot. I kept reading, waiting... hoping that it would all improve... but it never did. If anything it got worse. Very, VERY disappointed!!

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read all 40 Mandie books, and then got here. It was good and worth reading, but nothing amazing. There were a lot of loose threads that would never get tied up which was a little annoying, but it's still a good read overall. I do have to say that based on the fact this was unintentionally the last book, I wish a new love interest for Mandie wasn't added in, since I forever will hope she married Joe. If there was a second book I would have liked it more, but since it's not coming I'll have to leave it at 3 stars. A nice read though for those who enjoyed the Mandie series!

[Superreader200 · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Mandie enters collage with her collage mate, Celia, She discovers something wrong at the boarding house. She was living in the dormatairy but the other girls were being rude to her and ignoring her so she and Celia decided to live at the the boarding house. Then when a strange man apears at the boarding house and then disapears, she decided to move to a collage friends house! Mean while Mandie was in a crash and broke her wrist. In this book she has twin brother and sister named Carol and Carl. I highly recomend this book. If you find it, you should read it! It is great fun!

[C.O. Bonham · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book more stars but since the author has passed away there are plot threads in this novel that will never be tied up.

For those who may be wondering this really isn't a new series at least not in the way that young Mandie is. New horizions is really just Mandie number 41 and should not be read before the first 40.

I really liked some of the things that were began in this novel and I morn that there will not be anymore books in this series.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! I grew up with Mandie and was very pleasantly surprised to learn that a college adventure had come out while I was in college. Oh, the nostalgia. Lois Gladys Leppard did not disappoint. Mandie's newest adventure is better than all the rest and I only wish there could be more to follow. R.I.P. Lois Gladys Leppard.

[Kelley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mandie is in college now, but the writing and dialogue are still very juvenile. We bounce around from event to event, but without much fleshing out -- short paragraphs sum up entire vacations. The mysteries were "solved" with little effort and then everything is hunkydorie at the end and not very realistic.

[Johannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will say, that when a devoted Mandie fan reaches this book, at the end, they will likely be just as disappointed as I was. Just as she makes it to college, and you're about to find out how the series ends, *BOOM!* the author dies, and you're left to come to your own conclusions. I hate loose endings in books...

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty good book, though because the author died after writing it, and did not write a sequel, it ended apruptly leaving you wondering what happened afterwards! Especially which boy she will end up with! So I guess besides that, it was good:) I just wish there was a sequel!

[Brittany Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up reading "Mandie" and although I was saddened to hear of Ms. Leppard's passing back in '08(I cried), I'm very glad she was able to publish this book! I just wish the series could have been completed. Love this book!

[Becca Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved this series as a kid. I wish the writing had held up the way I remembered. This book was definitely not one of her better ones. I really wish Leppard's writing had tightened and grown up a little throughout this series.

[Partridge Public]

Leppard, Lois G. PB

[Lisa Greer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yes, it's lame, but I loved these books as a teen, and I'm going to read the college ones that are just coming out.

[HannahBeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read the whole Mandie series when I was younger, and am only reading this newest book out of pure curiosity...I hope it's worth my read!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOOOVVEEEE the whole series!!!