A Girl Like Moi

The Fashion-Forward Adventures of Imogene #1

by Lisa Barham, Sujean Rim (Illustrator)

After maxing-out her credit card, boarding school student Imogene gets an internship at a forecasting agency in New York and gets more than just a little side cash when suddenly she becomes the "it" girl of the fashion industry with front-row seats at all the shows, a Vespa to get around town, and the phone numbers of all the hottest divas in town! Original.

Genres: Young Adult, Fashion, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Romance, France

265 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2006

About the author

Lisa Barham is the author of the popular Young Adult book series, The Fashion Forward Adventures of Imogene, from Simon and Schuster.

A Graduate of F.I.T., Lisa began her career as an editor at I.M. International, one of the world's first fashion forecasting and consulting firms in the U.S. Shortly thereafter she moved into film production, working for such notables as Robert DeNiro and Woody Allen. She has co-written, co-produced and developed two major motion picture projects at Touchstone Pictures and has served as a development consultant on others.

Lisa is a 2007/2008 faculty member of Fashion Camp NYC, and is a member of the Writers Guild of America (WGA). She and her husband live in Greenwich, Connecticut with their young son.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Girl Like Moi
by Lisa Barham Simon Pulse, December 2006, 265pp.,$8.99 ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-1443-3
ISBN- 10: 1-4169-1443-9

Did you always think a rich girl's life is perfect? Well, Imogene's isn't in A Girl Like Moi, by Lisa Barham. She attends Greenwich Country Academy where rich girls wear Dior sandals in the winter and fur coats through the summer. Imogene is in charge of the style column of the school paper, where she must keep up to the lastest trends for her slot to make sense. However, compared to the other girls at GCA, Imogene is considered homeless. Even though she was born into a rich family, her mother married a painter in which she did not inherit any og the houses or fortune after the marriage. Now her best friend, Evie, must help her stay on budget, in which she calls the shop and return system.
"Once a month, we take the train into the city to shop the stores. Jeffrey, Barneys; Soho, Upper East Side, Lower East Side. Me for my fashion column, and Evie for her clothing collection. We sketch, photograph, and buy samples. Then we scurry back home, where Evie copies the pattern, sews it up, and voila, instant Prada!" (9)
Keeping up with the styles, Imogene has just maxed out her emergencies only credit card. Now she can't go to Paris with Evie for the summer. Afterwards, Imogene starts to live her dream in fashion. She gets the hottest seats at the fashion shows, eating at the gorgeous, yet expensive, Serendipity, and all this comes crumbling down due to a boy.
Living the life of a rich girl (which Imogene is technically not), she is confused about who she really is. It all comes to Imogene having to choose her dream or being true to herself and go for what she truly wants. Imogene has a certain je ne sais quoi that makes her an individual and stand out from everyone else.
I liked this book because of all the obstacles she has to go through just trying to be someone she really isn't. She doesn't know that just because her mom was rich, doesn't mean she had to walk in her footsteps and be just like her. However, she should learn from and take her mom's life as an inspiration. I like all the drama in the book. They obsess over weight and fuss over fashion trends, the day never seems to end. I like how the book starts with a prologue and during the story, it uses a little french and chinese, in which I learn a lot from. it is such a stylish book that will satisfy anyone with a little giggle from the craziness and an adventure that never ends.
Overall, A Girl Like Moi is an exciting story bribing you to read on with all the drama in just a single girl's life. Lisa Barham's writing is as if you can see the secrets behind Imogene's life. I tis like a diary where Imogene spills what's she's thinking and all that happens. I recommend this book to young adults and teen girls because Imogene goes through experiences of a young adult as she grows up. She goes through love, support from friends, and finds out that love can cost her dream. This book contains a lot of drama and tons about fashion. It's a MUST-READ! Just imagine how a dream come true can turn totally upside down.

[Noemi claudine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! this book starts of with a girl named imogen who lives in greenwitch conneticut and goes to fancey school and loves fashion. She wanted to go to paris with her Best Friend Forever Evie. When she maxes out her credit card her parents are furious and she ends up having to stay in conneticut., when she secretly ends up going to New York she becomes an intern to a fashion industry where bad and good things happen. she meets boys, works with clothes, and meets celebretues. She has everything she wnated and then she almost got fired and at the end of the summer she goes home.
This bok remids me of me! The chartater Imogen reminds me so much of myself. we both love shopping and fashion and If i had a credut card i ouwld max it out in a second. Our dream is both to work anin fashion na dImogene aslo has the same type of attidude as me.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I wuold rate it 5 stars becaueit was funny and well written and told a good story. I would reccomend this book to anyone who loves fashion and likes girly fun book.!

[Bevin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book I reallyyyyyy really liked it! I havn't read the sequel so I don't know how good it is. It's called Project Paris. Oh, just be careful there's some bad words in it too.

[Jennifer Wardrip · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Jocelyn Pearce for TeensReadToo.com

Imogene, teenaged fashionista on a budget, journalist, and big dreamer, is devastated when her astronomical credit card bill causes her parents to cancel her trip to Paris and sign her up for a summer internship program until she can pay back all of her debt. Soon, though, things for the resourceful, quick-thinking girl from Greenwich, Connecticut, are looking up. Rather than spending countless hours going crazy at a dreary public library internship, Imogene will be staying with her best friend, Evie, in a fabulous apartment in New York and working to pay back her credit card at her dream job--she'll be an intern at a hot fashion magazine! She's friends with a supermodel. There's even a cute Italian guy, the mysterious Paolo, to complete the picture of perfection. What more could a girl want?

Well, for one thing, Imogene would enjoy her job more if she wasn't the junior intern to evil Brooke's senior. Imogene and Brooke got off to a bad start, sure, but she never could have imagined the depths of her jealous coworker's capacity for evil! And what's worse, Paolo's got Imogene's cell phone--and when she calls, girls answer! She can't even find Paolo, and she's not sure if she's madly in love with him or furious with him. Can Imogene find her way past all of the obstacles in her way and have the summer of her dreams after all?

A GIRL LIKE MOI is a fabulously funny story, if a tad predictable. The characters are all awesome, and the writing is brilliant. I really love Imogene's voice! I'll be thrilled to read more from Lisa Barham whatever she writes, but I'd be absolutely ecstatic to see a sequel to this awesome book! Despite my dislike for books with pictures, the illustrations in this book are just as good as the story itself, and not at all distracting from the wonderful words that they're printed next to. This book, as a whole, is magnificent, and would, I'm sure, be even more marvelous for anyone interested in fashion!

[Stefanie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

""

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Barham, Lisa A Girl Like Moi: The fashion-forward adventures of Imogene, 265 p. Simon Schuster –

After maxing out her AmEx and failing to make payments, Imogene finds herself having to take on an internship in New York in order to pay off her bills, instead of flying off to Paris with her best friend. A fabulous boy and a catty co-worker turn Imogene’s summer upside down as she tries to remain tres chic with absolutely no cash.

A fun, fluffy Devil Wears Prada rip-off for the teen set that is perfect for reading while tanning this summer. Does not resort to the crassness of so many other teen novels and yet is full of fashion buzzwords. Already in paperback!

MS, HS – ESSENTIAL

[Lusiana Hevita · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bintangnya sebenernya 2,5 tapi dibulatkan jadi 3. Ceritanya seru-seru aja sih, mirip-mirip Shopaholik Sophie Kinsella dan Devil Wears Prada...tapi versi abege. Ceritanya mengalir dan nyaris tidak ada konflik. Buat bukan penggemar fashion mungkin kisah ini tidak menarik karena tokohnya penggila fashion. Ternyata ada ya anak umur 16an sudah sangat faham dengan brand-brand papan atas plus aliran/gaya fashion yang ada. Berarti dari muda sudah dapet passion-nya. Bukan abege labil. Meski begitu, saya masih tertarik melanjutkan ke buku keduanya. Semoga lebih bagus dari buku pertamanya (lagi hunting buku ketiganya nih).

[Rune · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted this book by my mother when I was 12-13 years old. being that I had a possible shopping addiction at the time out of self hatred. I sympathized with the main character Imogene, she had maxed out her credit card and had to get a job. the same thing kind of happened to me but I was over-drafting my debit MasterCard.

[Missi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun...reminds me of Devil Wears Prada, but light...

[rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

had major potential and was super cutesy if you are into fashion/gossip girl vibes BUT was soooooo chaotic for my brain. i lost track of what was happening every time a new chapter started.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first thing that pops into my mind when I hear fashion is the good life. That's probably what Imogene thought before her dreams of living what we call “the good life” came true. Imogene goes through some hard times her first year in the fashion industry, but it all gets easier. Will it be so much easier it will be considered “the good life”? A Girl Like Moi, the fashion forward novel by Lisa Barham, will show you how hard it can be living in a world full of fashion.
In this fashion forward novel, you will follow Imogene through her challenging and problem prone stage in life. She goes from just a regular girl from Greenwich, Connecticut, to a money making star! With problems from an intern and her missing cell phone, Imogene finds a way and realizes what she really wants.Her dream job ends up being like a whirly twirly roller coaster. But like most things in life, it was worth it. Follow Imogene on her wild and exciting adventure in a fashion forward world.

Imogene, a fashion forward girl, is living in a fashion forward world on a fashion forward adventure. Unlike most 16 year olds, Imogene gets a high paying job as a fashion forecaster. There is a reason why Imogene is getting a job so young. It's because she maxed out her AmEx card. She thought, why not do something I enjoy. Now she's doing something she enjoys, just not with someone she enjoys. Brooke, an evil intern, steals her boyfriend. Paolo, Imogene's ex and Brooke's former, steals Imogene's cell phone. So it seems that Evie, Imogene's truest and bluest friend, is the only one that will give her a break. With all the problems going on, Imogene questions what she really wants and learns that even in fashion, being true to yourself and following your dreams can go hand in hand.

I think A Girl Like Moi should be called Girls Like Nous. Why you may ask? Well, quite simply because she wrote this story about me. Clearly! If not that, then I must be her long lost twin. We're so alike! Both of us are obsessed with fashion. We live fashion, think fashion, and breathe fashion. If I was 16 and in the same situation as Imogene, I probably would've chosen the same job. It's kind of creepy. Before I even picked this book up I decided that I wanted to be a fashion forecaster.
I don't want to give away the whole story, but I just have to tell you my favorite part. Imogene gets fired and, with no other choice, heads for home. While there, she finds out what she really wants, who she really loves, and gets closer to her mom, however, she's not sure how she can do what she wants if she was fired. Like always, Imogene finds a way. In this tear jerking part of the book, you will find the theme and learn some interesting facts about Imogene.

In the end, this book will show you that even in fashion, you should be true and follow your dreams. Follow Imogene and find out how bad she wanted the job. You may or may not be surprised by the ending. Once you finish this book, you should consider reading Project Paris. It's the sequel to this book. And it's packed with tons more Imogenious adventures.

[Alexandra Cisneros · Rating 2 out of 5]

Alexandra Cisneros

A Girl Like Moi

Overall I didn't enjoy reading the novel very much. I found the novel a little cheesy and boring. I really enjoyed the concept of the novel; however, I have read many novels that were very similar. The plot of the novel was a girl named Imogene who dreamt of her own clothing company. Though many parts in the novel I found the story uneventful. Many of the events that occurred were very repetitive and confusing. For instance, Imogene discussed clothes and what prints she like the best numerous times throughout the story. There were many instances of Imogene creating the clothes and the specific fabric she would use as well. The diction used in the novel seemed elementary as well which became boring at times as well.

Although there were many parts of this novel I didn't enjoy, there were some I did as well. I overall enjoyed the setting of the story very much. The characters had great relationships with each other and I found it easy to fully understand the story. The novel was easy to follow along with and the events were clear. I also enjoyed how at the end all the characters came together and supported each other.

"I could show off my style skills, Evie's dad would finally acknowledge her brilliant talent for fashion design," (Barham 17).

When your constantly around society and what the new trends are it can be difficult to stay true to yourself self. In life it can be very hard but Imogene stayed true to herself throughout the novel. Imogene had a passion and love for fashion and throughout the novel that didn't change. Her classmates may have made fun of her at times but she knew that if she continued she would be happier overall. Imogene surrounded herself with the people she loved and the people that motivated her to do what she loves. To stay true to yourself, it is necessary to be happy with who you are and to have loving people around you. In the novel Imogene portrayed a confident young girl with great friends around her.

Overall I would not recommend this book to anyone, but if I had to I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys cheesy plots and fairytale-like stories. Teen girls or elementary girls may enjoy reading this novel the most. This book is relatable for them due to the school setting and the friendships. There was a lot of drama throughout the novel which would be interesting for young girls to read as well.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A girly read with fashion at its center. The way it was presented was quite different from the usual book with this premise. I can easily judge a book's likability just by looking at how long it took me to read it. Took me one full week for this one. It was possibly slowed by the fact that I'm watching House DVDs but I know that I would have taken more than two days anyways. One or two days or three if it's a thick one means the book was excellent. More, just means it wasn't as much.

It was different as the boy element was not the premier one. The job/internship was the one. What I guess slowed me down was the journal/diary telling that wasn't personnal enough. She told us what was going on in her life but as if she actually was telling it third person. We need the sentiment that she's agonising or being completely obsessive about one thing. True diary style like that of Susan Juby's Alice I think, Meg Cabot's the Princess Diaries or Bridget Jones.

This story could have been more active had it been written third person with insight on what all of the characters are doing. Because that Cinnamon person what's her deal? She was just there as an afterthought almost. Or just there to tell the fortune. Her importance is very diminished by her only three or four appearances.

This was also too speedy, skipping big chunks of time. I wish it had covered either more time or been this speedy but in a matter of one or two weeks not a whole summer. The sense of time was lost and confusing. That big friday event felt like it was going to be really soon like during the next few days but ended up being ages later. You'd almost forget it was important.

I'd still tell you to read it and make up your own mind about it. But I can't promise that you'll be blown away. Distracted for a while. Because it wasn't excellent or perfect. I know it too well when I can pick it apart.

[Andrea Ika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Review : A Girl Like Moi: The Fashion-Forward Adventures of Imogene

Lisa Barham



My rating : 3 stars

Blurb
A girl. A dream job. A city full of possibilities... Imogene is obsessed with fashion. Combine that with her talent for trouble (aka maxing out her "emergencies only" AmEx) and suddenly she's not going to chere Paris with her best friend for the summer. No, she must do the unthinkable for a stylish Greenwich girl such as herself -- get a job. Resourceful as always, Imogene works her connections and lands a dream internship at a fashion forecasting agency in New York. Now she's lunching at Serendipity, first on line at the Barney's warehouse sale, and skoshing seats at fashion week. But when Imogene's dream is threatened by a cute Italian boy and one very evil intern, she questions what she really wants. And she learns that even in fashion, being true to yourself and following your dreams can go hand in hand.

My opinion
This book is about a girl named Imogene who is very ambitiuos and is her own person. Maxing out her credit card and getting fired from her "glamourous" job at McDonalds along with her friend Evvie, she is forced to do the unthinkable, get another job. She chooses an intern job in New York at a hot fashion magazine. The job also pays! While paying off her credit card, dealing with hot cell phone stealing hunks, money management problems, evil co workers, and spenders annonomous classes, she finds herself along the way. She keeps fighting to the end and learns that the fashion buisness is cut throat and not for the light hearted.
This book was great! It was not like any other book I have read. . It is interesting and is able to keep your attention until the end. Although it is not one of the greatest pieces of literature, it still serves its purpose as a good read. I was very surpised, it had many French words in it.

[Keri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wasn't great, but it sure was fun. Imogene reminds me a lot of Eloise. In fact, if the Eloise books were written with Eloise as a teenager, I'm sure the young girl would've acted a lot like Imogene.

Imogene is a teen girl who comes from old money, money so old that it doesn't provide Imogene with high class living as much as an upper class status. Imogene is spunky and loud and spends her summer interning in New York for a fashion magazine (after getting fired from her job at McDonalds after attempting to accessorize the uniforms and put Green Tea Smoothies and Tuna Tartare on the menu. The entire scheme was actually brilliant). On top of interning, she attends shopaholic meetings in Barney's, deals with a coworker selling confidential fashion information to a rival magazine, and lusts after a mysterious Italian boy following her around the city. The schemes she gets up to in the meantime are so absurd, that they are wonderfully entertaining.

The writing was juvenile, however. And the more serious parts of the story (the romance aspect and Imogene trying to find her own path in life) didn't fit in with the outlandish subplots. The colorful artwork throughout the entire 200+ page book added something new and different and memorable, however, and added to the fun of the story.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another new author that I'm trying. Although I wouldn't praise the book too highly and recommend it to everyone I come in contact with, I would say it was okay enough for me to finish it.

Imogene, sixteen, lives at Greenwich, and just as she and her best friend are planning to go to Paris, things go all wrong. Because Imogene had overspent and swipped her credit card way too many times and left a huge debt, her mother is making her work over the summer so she can pay it off herself. Ever the fashionista, Imogene immediately grabs the hottest dream job ever: working on a fashion magazine. Using all her connections with her Greenwich friends, she finally landed herself the job. Although things are looking bright, the snarky intern at the studio has taken an instant dislike to Imogene, and of course, there's the issue of her missing cell phone. A girl just can't live without her cell phone.

Written in journal format, I especially liked the thickness and whiteness of the paper that the book was printed on. Plus, the minature pictures that were spreaded throughout the book (mostly of designer clothing displayed in a cartoon-manner) kept me interested as well.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very good book. I've read it twice. It's about a girl who lives in Greenwich Connecticut who goes to a private school and is addicted to fashion. Imogene and her bestie Evie have great adventures in New York while she is an intern at Hautelaw, only THE hottest fashion forecasting firm. But she has to deal with her parents who think that she's spending way too much, and a snake of a girl named Brook, and her posse who always make her feel like she's crash landed in the land of Oz. Imogene is a fashion forward teen who will do anything to launch herself a career in the fashion industry, even makeover a McDonald's and sneak into a major fashion show. I highly recommend this book to teen girls everywhere who love a good story and funny adventures.

[Miarani Widhiyata · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gadis seperti MOI adalah kisah luar biasa lucu, menggemaskan, Karakter dalam "A Girl like MOI" adalah mengagumkan, dan ditulisnya begitu brilian. Saya benar-benar suka Tokoh utama Imogene, anak perempuan periang yang tergila2 fashion, saya akan senang untuk membaca lebih dari Lisa Barham apa pun yang ia menulis, tapi saya akan benar-benar gembira untuk melihat sekuel buku ini, sangat mengagumkan! Meskipun saya tidak suka buku-buku dengan gambar, ilustrasi dalam buku ini sama baiknya dengan cerita itu sendiri, dan sama sekali tidak mengganggu dari kata-kata indah yang mereka dicetak di samping. Buku ini, secara keseluruhan, luar biasa enak dibaca.

[Megan M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very very good book about fashion. I enjoyed it. I would recommend it for those who are going into the fashion/magazine business world. It tells the tales of a girl who is trying to make her money's worth. She wants to be a magazine editor more than anything in the world and she has a shopping addiction which is quite horrible to have if you don't have money to spend as she soon finds out. She gets a chance at her dream job, but then things take a turn for the worse.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute book, but highly unlikely to be or come true. I enjoyed reading this book. This book is good for high school age girls who are interested in fashion and exploring the world. When my niece gets older, I am definitely going to get her this book! And I love how there is a sequel to the book. I was originally going to get the 2nd book, until I realized that this was the first book of the series.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably one of the best books I have ever read. I first read it when I was eleven, then again when I was thirteen, and then again when I was fifteen. I seriously think I was Imogene, the main character, in another life. I am considering reading it a fourth time, just to have it fresh in my memory. I would recommend this for any girl who is obsessed with fashion and the whole East Coast scene. Personally, those are my two loves in life. I cannot even describe how utterly fabulous this book is.

[Diana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this book in my daughter's car and as often the case was intrigued by the cover. Adore a Vespa! This is YA book. It is a good read for a young lady who aspires to work in fashion and loves New York. At times, it reminded me of The Carrie Diaries. Imogene, the main character, is a teen who dreams of her future. She loves her parents, learns valuable lessons of the importance of living within your means, falls in love and ultimately travels to Paris. A fairy tale with a happy ending.

[Kami · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved A Girls Like Moi because i am a very fashion forward person and love to read about fashion anything. It was also a very inspiring story about a girl who followed her dreams. She was passionate and excited and made the book interesting. It had a great and sweet romance in it that was touching. I would recommend the book to any girl even if you are not very fashionable or if you don like fashion, it was a great book that i loved!

[Waffle...♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

VERY cheezy and unreal. But it's super cute!

A book for fashionistas out there!

There are alot of fashion companies mentioned in this and I lost track! Oh and the super hot Italian boy is so wierd, he proclaims his love for Imogene when he barely even met her. Oh wells, its cute! :)

Good moral too...

[Elena · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book is my all time favorite, its about a girl who is in 2 fashion, she has so many dreams and she follows them and never gives up, i have read this book more than 3 times and every time i read it it gets better and better, i also go to this book for insperation and advice, right now its my most prized possesion!!!!!!

[Courteney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imogene a girl with tons of flair joins Haute-law a fashion company who is out to start the trends of the season. She soon meets a boy, a mean girl, and has an apartment to herself and her best friend. She survives the summer but barely. She is soon a minor celebrity and receives free clothing from all the top designers. She also goes to Paris like she planned for the summer.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm doing research for my higher-level readers and tried this one out. If you have a student who is REALLY, REALLY into The Devil Wears Prada-like books, this would be a good recommendation. Otherwise...wow, bad.

[Jenlbot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Completely chose this book for it's cover. Who could resist the artwork AND the pink scooter. Such a great tween/teen book. I fell in love with Imogene and her life in the fashion world (so much better than The Devil Wears Prada)!

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cute. The writer is funny: the way she expresses herself made me laugh out loud in some parts. It kind of reminded me of Confessions of a Shopaholic in that it was very similar characters and storyline.

[Ashley Burbeck]

I thought this book was really good. It had to do with fashion a lot. Which was interesting to read about. I never really knew there was so much about fashion that could be put in a book. I enjoyed this book.