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380th out of 659 books
—
1,379 voters
Alice on Board (Alice #24)
In her last adventure before starting college, Alice takes to the open sea for the summer—and nothing can stop the tides of change.Everything Alice has ever known is about to change—from where she sleeps at night to how close her closest friends will be. So Alice is meeting that seasick feeling head-on by setting sail as staff on a Chesapeake Bay cruise ship. And like any...more
Hardcover, 288 pages
Published
May 22nd 2012
by Atheneum Books for Young Readers
(first published May 1st 2012)
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Oh, Alice. I have faithfully read your books since I was ten years old and could still relate to all of your embarrassing, endearing, and sometimes edgy anecdotes. But then, sometime around "Dangerously Alice," something happened. Either I out-grew you, or Naylor really just stopped trying to hold her finger on the pulse of today's teenagers. I mean, I get it; these books are meant to be timeless and not tied to any particular era or trend. But for all of Alice's envelope-pushing status and bann...more
I've read all of the Alice books so far, and loved the early ones. I even started buying all of them because I wanted to collect the entire series. Alice was so funny, and so prone to embarrassing mishaps. But somewhere around the time that the books became more "young adult" (by which I mean smaller in size, and less cartoony in the cover art), the quality of the books started going down. I was getting bored, and not much seemed to be happening, plot-wise. I stopped buying the new books and set...more
First off, I admit off the bat that the only reason I've continued to read this series is that I've been reading them since the first one came out, and I just can't seem to stop, especially because the next one is the last. They've been getting progressively worse and worse, more like after-school specials than actual novels. There is no reason for you to read this book unless you, like me, have some weird need to stick with the series until the end.
I may be in the minority here, but I think Ali...more
I may be in the minority here, but I think Ali...more
3 stars is generous, but I went into this with really low expectations and it wasn't quite as disappointing as I anticipated. The last couple of Alice books were so frustratingly bad that I swore them off, but when this one appeared in my hands as I was cataloging, I couldn't resist. In some ways, this one reminds me of the earlier Alice books. The only problem is that this is the second-to-last Alice book, and the last normal Alice book, so it would have been nice if it focused more on the char...more
I have loved the Alice books for about 15 years. I have grown up with Alice- unfortunately, a lot quicker than her since I have aged three years for every one of hers. I cried when Alice cried, laughed as she shared great times with Pam and Liz, and stuck through the series even if the past few books haven't been my favorites. I stuck with them because I love the character of Alice and, frankly, the end of the series is in sight. 'Alice on Board' is the second-to-last book.
That being said, this...more
That being said, this...more
6 likes · like · see review
the third star is out of my generous and loyal love for this series, which i've been reading for almost as long as i've had a library card. i cannot say it better than a fellow reviewer, stephanie, who said the book should have been called "alice, i'm bored."
i was really looking forward to reading about alice's summer working aboard a cruise ship, but this somehow managed to be the most boring cruise ship in operation. in spite of the drama PRN tries to inject (one of the crew members is a *gas...more
i was really looking forward to reading about alice's summer working aboard a cruise ship, but this somehow managed to be the most boring cruise ship in operation. in spite of the drama PRN tries to inject (one of the crew members is a *gas...more
I don't know - maybe I've finally outgrown the Alice books, but the last few seem to be missing their inherent charm and humor and this latest installment was lackluster as well. Alice and her friends sign on to work a cruise line for their summer job. Queue the fussy passengers and the virtues of hard work. Alice strikes up a friendship with Mitch and moons over Patrick, the perfect boyfriend who never seems to be around and makes no sacrifices for poor Alice. She should DTMF. Anyway, there was...more
You know, maybe I'm just comparing it relative to the last few lackluster Alice books, but I enjoyed this one a lot! I wasn't super sold on the cruise ship milieu before I read it, but it works. The ship & crew workings seem well-researched (or at least plausibly invented), and there's a good balance of unusual job details, new close-quarters co-worker drama, personal main-characters drama, vaguely romantic new friendship, and actual suspenseful events. This book has rising action! And a cli...more
The only reason to read this book is for completeness's sake, and because you are invested in the characters. Dear gods, nothing happens in this book and it is OMG so painful! The writing is so out of touch that I can't even focus on the narrative voice, because the authorial voice is so *present* in its stead, so I spent much of the book wondering why she wrote each passage that particular way. Naylor throws in these weird details that (a) seem out of place in a supposedly teenaged narrative (l...more
Alice and her friends are spending the summer working on a cruise ship that runs along the East Coast, and she is excited for adventure. But with Patrick away in Spain, Alice wonders if their parallel lives will ever cross again.
So in this Alice book, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENS. Really. They all work on a cruise ship, Alice pines for Patrick, and there's a lost turtle. Also, this book reinforced my desire to never go on another cruise again in my life. But for all of my griping, I enjoyed readin...more
So in this Alice book, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAPPENS. Really. They all work on a cruise ship, Alice pines for Patrick, and there's a lost turtle. Also, this book reinforced my desire to never go on another cruise again in my life. But for all of my griping, I enjoyed readin...more
Ughh it's so unfortunate that one of my favorite series of books from my childhood is ending on such a bad note. Nothing happened in this entire book! The characters don't have any personality anymore. In the begining, Pamela was the "wild one", Elizabeth was the "innocent one" and Alice was sort of in the middle. Now they're all just the same, bland character. They also don't talk or act like any teenagers I've ever known. I was a teenager a lot more recently than PRN and I can assure you that...more
I had high hopes for the second-to-last Alice book, after all, I do love the books about her summers. And a summer on a cruise ship? I've been looking forward to this all year! I did find that this book fell a little short, though. (view spoiler) Also, I obviously don't rem...more
Beginning right after high school graduation, Alice and several friends start their summer job aboard a small cruise ship, in this 27th book in the series. Even though Alice is 18 and about to enter college, even those 12 and up can enjoy this book (girls especially). Naylor details things that occur on a cruise, including the offshore trips along the Atlantic Coast, which adds authenticity. There is a little soap opera aspect regarding Pamela's mother, but no major romances by Alice or her frie...more
I'm glad this series isn't over, although I felt that the last book, when Alice graduated high school, had a great ending and could have been a tidy way to close the door on this series. This book was a semi-let-down. The characters are all consistent and genuine, and there is plenty of introspection and personal growth, as usual, but I felt that this book lacked something. It was very focused on the setting: Alice and her friends working on a cruise ship in the Chesapeake Bay. It's the summer b...more
I've been reading the Alice series since I was roughly Alice's age myself (about 12). I'm not going anywhere and I'm sure Alice's loyal fans will enjoy this installment, but I thought it was pretty lackluster. It's thin on plot and primarily episodic and although a little less "After School Special" like than some of the more recent installments, Naylor still seems to want to impart some lessons to her readers.
These books could really do with some better editing, too. The teenagers simply do no...more
These books could really do with some better editing, too. The teenagers simply do no...more
I wouldn't call this book the best book ever or the worst book ever but it was ok. i just read for a short nice little story before i continued on with all the series im reading. I felt the ending was kinda a cliff hanger but there are a bunch of Alice books so im assuming the next one will clear up what they do in collage. She also always would solve problems in like two chapters. There never seemed to be a long-term problem except for the problem at the end and about Pam's mom. But ive never r...more
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
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Alice McKinley has finally graduated high school and is spending the summer before college working on a cruise ship with her best friends. She has some tiny adventures, one or two big adventures, and misses Patrick the whole time. The end.
I used to love the Alice books, primarily because of how relateable Alice was. I felt it in this book but instead of enjoying this one I thought it was kind of annoying. Alice felt more like a walking PSA than a teenage girl and her feelings were too defined to...more
I used to love the Alice books, primarily because of how relateable Alice was. I felt it in this book but instead of enjoying this one I thought it was kind of annoying. Alice felt more like a walking PSA than a teenage girl and her feelings were too defined to...more
Apr 14, 2013
Helen
added it
This book felt like filler to me -- something to pass the time and get Alice and her friends into a different setting before Naylor can whisk her off to college and the rest of her life (I'm eagerly awaiting the epilogue of her life, at least)!
When Alice was excited that something bad (but eventful) had occurred on the cruise line just to have something she could write about to Patrick...I would say that summed up my experiences with Alice over the most recent years. Is anything going to happen...more
When Alice was excited that something bad (but eventful) had occurred on the cruise line just to have something she could write about to Patrick...I would say that summed up my experiences with Alice over the most recent years. Is anything going to happen...more
I just keep reading the Alice books, but I think they are getting worse. I adored the early titles in the series, and I've reread some of them recently and still loved them. This leads me to conclude that PRN is just better at writing for younger girls than teenagers. I think she's had some trouble keeping up with the times--all the texts are written like emails, for example--and the characters' vocabulary seems more fitting of tweens than seniors in high school. The plot of this one is fairly u...more
2.5 stars.
Oh, what to say. There was no point to this book at all. Was there a plot? I couldn't find one. I will stick to this series til the very end, but I can't honestly say the books are actually good anymore. No one had any personality. And the book needed moooar Lester! Les is always the best part. (Why is PRN trying to send him to work at a Conference Center in WV? whaaat Les is too interesting for that fate.)
Oh, what to say. There was no point to this book at all. Was there a plot? I couldn't find one. I will stick to this series til the very end, but I can't honestly say the books are actually good anymore. No one had any personality. And the book needed moooar Lester! Les is always the best part. (Why is PRN trying to send him to work at a Conference Center in WV? whaaat Les is too interesting for that fate.)
Edit 02-28-12: Full review at
Postcards
. . . . .
I'm teetering between 2.5 and 3… I liked it well enough most of the time…there were some exciting scenes…but that's all it really felt like -- a collection of scenes. Still, I hear the next book will be the series finale, so of course I'll be reading that. *nostalgic sigh*
Somewhat longer review TBP (to-be-posted) at Postcards .
. . . . .
I'm teetering between 2.5 and 3… I liked it well enough most of the time…there were some exciting scenes…but that's all it really felt like -- a collection of scenes. Still, I hear the next book will be the series finale, so of course I'll be reading that. *nostalgic sigh*
Somewhat longer review TBP (to-be-posted) at Postcards .
Oh, Alice! There will only be one more book published about you after this one. While this book, which chronicles your job on a cruise ship during the summer before college, is like other recent books in your story in that it does not live up to the stories of your embarrassing younger years, I am still grateful for its presence on my bookshelf, and I dread the ending of your story in spring 2013.
Anything Alice you bet your ugly face that i have read it. Since i was like 10 i have been obessessed with these books and at 17 now i still will reread them. I never want this series EVER!!!!!! But i know it has to because honestly ... Phyllis didn't do the best job with the latest book. I mean how is she gonna end the last book? I just hope that its satisfying for everyone who's ever loved Alice the way i do.
Feb 19, 2013
Liana
marked it as unfinished
I'll probably never finish this. I don't have time to waste on boring books. I like Alice books a lot & plan to get the last one. She could have done way more with this one. Time for Alice to get a little crazy. And when will she have sex with Patrick dammit? That's basically what I've been waiting for in the past six books, lol.'
Objectively speaking this book was not bad. It is just that this is 24th or so Alice book and the second to last one. So instead of advancing the story this just had us follow Alice and her friends on a cruise. It just seemed like a filler book so we have to wait another year for the final Alice book. Plotwise Alice and her friends go to work on a cruise ship.
This makes me sad, but this book just didn't need to exist. There was no reason to bridge the gap between high school and the planned final book, and it showed. Boring, not enough of the characters we know and love, and just a sad penultimate chapter in a story I've been reading for almost 2/3 of my life.
It's actually only two stars, but I gave it an extra one for nostalgia and for being better and less melodramatic than the last couple installments in this series. I love Alice McKinley and I will read every book about her that comes out, so that's a given. But they just aren't as good anymore.
Somehow I missed the twenty-third book in this series, but it doesn't matter. Alice has devolved into one of the most boring teenagers I've ever read about. She reads like a much older person. This book does little to advance her growth, or my interest in finishing the series.
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Oooohhhh....what to say? This book was a snoozer. Very disappointing. Not much happens, and it keeps happening all over again. These are the most squeaky clean teens in current literature, I think. Read it next to something like Pretty Little Liars, and it's laughable.
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Phyllis Reynolds Naylor was born in Anderson, Indiana, US on January 4, 1933.
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good boo...more
More about Phyllis Reynolds Naylor...
Her family were strongly religious with conservative, midwestern values and most of her childhood was spent moving a lot due to her father's occupation as a salesman.
Though she grew up during the Depression and her family did not have a lot of money, Naylor stated that she never felt poor because her family owned good boo...more
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Oct 23, 2012 09:26pm