Mix six teenage girls and one ‘60s fashion icon (retired, of course) in an old Victorian-era boarding home. Add boys and dating, a little high-school angst, and throw in a Kate Spade bag or two ... and you’ve got The Carter House Girls, Melody Carlson’s chick lit series for young adults!The Carter House girls are just getting to know one another when tensions surrounding several boys threaten to undo everything. Rhiannon’s dating Bradford, the most popular jock in school, Eliza’s seeing Harry, and even DJ is dating Conner, although now he acts as if he doesn’t like her. It seems every girl in the house wants a boyfriend—and will do just about anything to get one. So when Taylor decides to put the moves on Bradford, Rhiannon is shocked and hurt. Sides are taken, and one girls' actions may cut deeper than she intended.
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"Very realateable book that is so good i might finish it in 1 day!Totally love it. "
— Amanda (5 out of 5 stars)
" I thought I would try reading the second book just to give this series another shot. I love Melody Carlson's books so much that it pains me to think that she could have churned out a crappy series. Maybe it's supposed to be targeted more towards middle schoolers or something. The teens in this series just seem so underdeveloped. They said "right" and "whatever" more times than I could count - which some teens probably do, but for the sake of the dialogue, I think that should have been limited. In the "True Colors" series, Carlson makes the teen characters seem so relatable and authentic; in this series, they just seem to fall flat. Also, the characters are so limited and one-dimensional, except for Taylor towards the very end. I felt like all the characters were portrayed very stereotypically and that they were either fully good or fully bad, with no in between. I would have given this book just one star except that the last 2 chapters and the epilogue were finally starting to get a little interesting. "
— Kyleigh, 2/8/2014" Again this book was good, but I'm getting a little bored of the series. "
— Shay, 2/7/2014" Melody Carlson is an awesome writer! This is another great book! "
— Courtney, 1/27/2014" i read books 1 & 2 of this series one after the other - didn't like the first book, hoped the second was better but i was dead wrong. suffice it to say i am not interested in reading the rest. i didn't know that this was YA christian fiction and i don't think i'd mind but the christian references in this book felt too preachy and a bit forced. i thought the story and the characters fell flat, besides taylor, this "bad girl" who began to show some depth at the latter part of this book. sadly, one potentially redeeming character isn't enough to make me want to read more. "
— Mari, 1/27/2014" It was an intriguing book! "
— Kass, 1/22/2014" Summer's over and the girls start Crescent Cove High. Predictable real life drama but gives young teens a wholesome look at what it takes to build relationships. "
— Virginia, 1/11/2014" It was ok but soooo obvious as to what was going to happen "
— Bethany, 1/11/2014" 2nd in Carter House series. This was more about Rhiannon and Taylor. Taylor took Bradford away from Rhiannon and DJ was the one that kept bringing the good out in people. Therse are just a bit too religious for me, but the stories would be good for young adults for sure. "
— Connie, 11/27/2013" I think the story plots are really awesome and fun to read, but I don't like how she uses God to fix all the conflicts. it just seems like if you pray everything will suddenly be fixed and that's not very realistic. "
— Kendall, 11/14/2013" Another quick read in the Carter House Girls series by Melody Carlson. Just when you thought you had the characters from the first book all figured out they go and change on you...how true to life. :) "
— Tina, 11/1/2013" This is still a cute series - and seems to be getting better - but these are way too short. "
— Alex, 10/1/2013" Bought at a yard sale. Worst 50 cents ever spent. Every single "house girl" in this book is too perfect to save their lives. Minus gothic Casey but everyone manages to have her wearing clothes their perfect school would approve of. Did not finish, never plan to. "
— Tia, 9/11/2013" Very realateable book that is so good i might finish it in 1 day!Totally love it. "
— Amanda, 6/14/2013" It was not at all what I expected. The writing was oddly narrative and preachy. I was not a fan. I was sad to see that it's a series. I do not recommend this book at all. "
— Shannon, 5/14/2013" I did not enjoy Stealing Bradford as much as Mixed Bags but it was still good. I felt more of the Christian influence, which is fine, but it didn't seem to read as quickly as the first. Still enjoying the series though! "
— Morgan, 3/2/2013" drama relationships and changes "
— Madison, 12/29/2012" As bad as the first in the series. (I already had it on the Kindle so I felt I had to read it.) Best thing about this series? They're very short so you aren't wasting that much of your valuable time. "
— Lisa, 3/27/2012" It was very good and shows how to make your friend mad over a boy. "
— Lindsey, 3/26/2012" It is a really good book! "
— Anna, 2/18/2012" I loved this book. I can't believe people don't like this! "
— Brianna, 9/8/2011" I thought the cover of this book looked darling but it was actually not a good read. I had a hard time finishing it. Just didn't keep my attention. I wonder if I would have liked it as a teen more???? "
— Joy, 7/14/2011" Even more crap than the first one...This one was also free on the Kindle "
— Heather, 4/3/2011" It was not at all what I expected. The writing was oddly narrative and preachy. I was not a fan. I was sad to see that it's a series. I do not recommend this book at all. "
— Shannon, 1/17/2011" Another quick read in the Carter House Girls series by Melody Carlson. Just when you thought you had the characters from the first book all figured out they go and change on you...how true to life. :) "
— Tina, 8/23/2010" Even more crap than the first one...This one was also free on the Kindle "
— Heather, 8/9/2010" As bad as the first in the series. (I already had it on the Kindle so I felt I had to read it.) Best thing about this series? They're very short so you aren't wasting that much of your valuable time. "
— Lisa, 8/8/2010" I did not enjoy Stealing Bradford as much as Mixed Bags but it was still good. I felt more of the Christian influence, which is fine, but it didn't seem to read as quickly as the first. Still enjoying the series though! "
— Morgan, 3/26/2010" It is a really good book! "
— Richey, 11/14/2009" It was very good and shows how to make your friend mad over a boy. "
— Lindsey, 10/9/2009" I thought the cover of this book looked darling but it was actually not a good read. I had a hard time finishing it. Just didn't keep my attention. I wonder if I would have liked it as a teen more???? "
— Joy, 7/13/2009" Summer's over and the girls start Crescent Cove High. Predictable real life drama but gives young teens a wholesome look at what it takes to build relationships. "
— Virginia, 7/6/2009Melody Carlson has published more than ninety books for children, teens, and adults. She lives in Central Oregon with her husband, where they enjoy skiing, gardening, camping, and biking in the beautiful Cascade mountains.
Tavia Gilbert is an acclaimed narrator of more than four hundred full-cast and multivoice audiobooks for virtually every publisher in the industry. Named the 2018 Voice of Choice by Booklist magazine, she is also winner of the prestigious Audie Award for best narration. She has earned numerous Earphones Awards, a Voice Arts Award, and a Listen-Up Award. Audible.com has named her a Genre-Defining Narrator: Master of Memoir. In addition to voice acting, she is an accomplished producer, singer, and theater actor. She is also a producer, singer, photographer, and a writer, as well as the cofounder of a feminist publishing company, Animal Mineral.