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Nov 11, 2011

Angie rated it:

I ran across CARPE DIEM around four years ago in the Feiwel & Friends catalog. They had the excellent good sense to reprint the wonderful President's Daughter series by Ellen Emerson White, and I wondered what other YA titles they had on the docket at the time. My eye was drawn to this cover right off the bat, and I still think it's just perfect for the book. I love the slightly faded parchment look of it. With the silhouette and the hair and the style it could be anything really. In this case, More...

0 comments like (4 people liked it)

Oct 31, 2008

Beth rated it:

This is a young adult novel, but I picked it up because I'm friends with the author. It was an adventure story that I couldn't put down-- this is definitely a book that would have been a favorite of mine if it had been around when I was growing up.

Autumn herself has traveled all over Southeast Asia, so the details of the herione's adventures are incredible vivid and captivating. In fact, though the story itself is fiction, I know much of the story is based on actual events that A More...

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May 29, 2008

Emily rated it:

This book is so funny. Every page seems to have at least one thing to laugh about. But unlike most ridiculous teenage humors it really has a good theme. Vassar, the girl who is named after a prestigious college is trying to acheive a 5.3 or some ridiculously high GPA. Then in steps her grandma who makes her go on a trip with her in SE Asia for the entire summer. Suddenly the 5.3 isn't as attainable and she is forced to write a novel to earn AP-AP English credit. Her trip makes her realize that h More...

0 comments like (3 people liked it)

Dec 24, 2008

Claire rated it:

We meet innocently smug 16 year old Vassar Spore firmly entrenched in her routines that will ensure her acceptance to Vassar (hence the name- who could deny her with that moniker hangin' 'round her neck?) a PhD and Pulitzer...her life is planned, planned, planned by her well meaning parents, mom, a life coach and dad the efficiency expert.
Obviously they are set up for a fall, enter Grandma Gerd an unencumbered free spirit who has been living in Asia. Seeing the rut that Vassar is in she m More...

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Mar 04, 2011

Deb rated it:

This enjoyable story goes from moments of hilarity to moments of terror as it follows a young women on her journey of self-discovery through Southeast Asia. Vassar Spoor is just as preppy as her name sounds--encouraged by her parents to set goals and aim for the top she has a life plan that includes becoming valedictorian of her prep school, attending Vassar, and marrying a doctor. But she doesn't count on her Grandma Gerd sending her a plane ticket so that she can spend the summer trekking th More...

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Oct 21, 2009

Prairie rated it:

Vassar, named after the ivy league women’s college is a typical type A personality. Focused and driven to obtain her goals. She has very impressive goals, all meticulously planned and plotted down to the day, month and year. Her parents, an efficiency expert and a life coach, cocoon her from the real world, insisting that academics must be her focus until she finishes her P.h.D. Vassar is content with the plan. The only snag in her life is beating out her former best friend for the honor of More...

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Nov 11, 2011

Cemara rated it:

Vassar Spore. 16 years old. 5.3 GPA. Named after a very prestigious women's college by her parents. She's got everything planned for her life, and I do mean everything. She vows to spend her summer improving her academics by attending a bunch of classes. But just when she's about to embark her classes, she receives a birthday package from her grandma in Southeast Asia. What's in the package? A plane ticket to Singapore and a birthday note from her Grandma Gerd. Grandma Gerd offers an "all-e More...

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Nov 04, 2010

Anna rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

3 comments like

Jun 30, 2009

Lisa rated it:

Vassar, named after the ivy league women’s college is a typical type A personality. Focused and driven to obtain her goals. She has very impressive goals, all meticulously planned and plotted down to the day, month and year. Her parents, an efficiency expert and a life coach, cocoon her from the real world, insisting that academics must be her focus until she finishes her P.h.D. Vassar is content with the plan. The only snag in her life is beating out her former best friend for the honor of More...

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Sep 03, 2009

Summer rated it:

Wow. Ya, wow. What a blank brained book.

Don't get me wrong here. Carpe Diem is a great philosophical statement. But I think it has been more artfully stated in media such as the Dead Poet's Society with Robin Williams. If you haven't seen that movie by the way, do. It's also more impactful in those stories.

Vassar has practically been engeniered to succeed. She's named after a prep school for Pete's sake! Any gap in her plans and she will not win the Nobel Peice Prize. Th More...

1 comment like

Jun 14, 2009

Shannon rated it:

Vassar Spore is sixteen, an only child of driven and over-achieving parents, and determined to be valedictorian of the Seattle Academy for Academic Excellence, go to Vassar College (her namesake), get a PhD, win the Pulitzer, and more. In fact, at the encouragement of her parents, she's got her entire life planned out and she loves it that way.

Then, a month after her sixteenth birthday, her birthday present from eccentric Grandma Gerd arrives: a plane ticket to Malaysia. Grandma want More...

0 comments like (6 people liked it)

Feb 19, 2010

Jackie rated it:

Over-acheiver, type A, perfectionist, Vassar Spore has her entire life planned through completion of her PhD, even though she is only a 16-year-old high school student. Her parents plan, prod, and persuade her to do only her best. Then, a surprise request comes from an unlikely source...her mostly-absent, globe-trotting Grandma Gerd. She wants Vassar to meet her in Southeast Asia for the summer and L.I.M.-"Live in the Moment". Never accustomed to such flights of fancy, Vassar is sure h More...

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Jun 23, 2011

Johnp rated it:

Sorry - I could not get into this one. Vassar Spore is an ultra-control girl. She plans her life down to the minute - including short-term and long-term life goals ("Win Pulitizer"). She's working toward achieving valedictorian, when her family gets a call from Grandma Gerd, asking that Vasar join her in a brief summer trip across Southeast Asia. Vassar's parents (also control freaks) agree - and Vassar thinks it's some sort of blackmail. What follows is something like the Odd Cou More...

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Mar 09, 2009

Mary rated it:

Sixteen year old over-achiever Vassar (yep, that really is her name)has her entire life planned - be the valedictorian of her graduating class, attend Vassar and then a yet-to-be-determined Ivy League graduate school, win the Pulitzer prize, marry a blonde surgeon, have 2.5 children, etc. etc. That is, she has this grand plan until her artist/grandmother sends her tickets to spend the summer with her in Southeast Asia and blackmails Vassar's parents into forcing her to go on the trip. This total More...

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Aug 05, 2011

Kerith rated it:

SPOILER AHEAD but it deserves it. I was intrigued by this book because the main character spends most of it in Southeast Asia, and that looked worth reading. I was immediately put off in the first or second chapter when Vassar describes her dad as "Poor Dad, not only is he adopted but..." as if being adopted is some awful state and one should be ashamed of it. Vassar is then sent to Southeast Asia because her "grandmother" blackmails her parents into allowing it, thus introdu More...

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Mar 23, 2011

Michelle rated it:

I would actually give this book around a 4.5 rating because I did find it entertaining, and touching at times, for a young adult novel. I chose this book from a selection given in my english grammar instruction class and was skeptical upon reading the first few chapters. While it flowed in the subject matter, I couldn't really relate to Vassar because her attitude was not one that I had been around often enough to appreciate, positively or negatively. But once she was in Malaysia I became hooked More...

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Nov 03, 2010

Books4m rated it:

Carpe Diem is a perfect book for armchair travel. That mysterious ability that some books have to take you with them as they travel the world. Vasser has grown up with rules and plans and perfect structure. She's even named after the college of her parents dreams, but this summer she's about to find out you cant plan everything. Her grandmother sends her tickets to southeast asia, to spend the summer accompany her artist grandmother around cambodia loas, and malasyia, Vassar's parents immediatly More...

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Jun 19, 2009

The Dreamer Reader rated it:

The Good: The characters were cool. You got your hippie internationally traveling Grandma, your Asian cowboy love interest, your over-bearing all-or-nothing parents, you super smart (but different) friends, and your over-acheiver main character.

Vassar got into really interesting situations. Even though they did not make me laugh out funny, but they did make me smile.

Umm... I can't really think of anymore good thinks to say about this book.

The Bad: Vassar re More...

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Jul 11, 2008

Savanna rated it:

The most purely fun book I've read since middle school. It's a young-adult book, sure, but it is also the definition of pleasure reading. It reminded me of all the happy, adventurous, uncomplicated pleasures the world contains. And it made me even more excited to travel in Asia!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Jun 03, 2010

Tulah807 rated it:

regular response (also chapter 5 in my writing section):
Vassar Spore is so obsessed with not only planning her whole life, but planning her whole life according to her parents dreams and wishes. She always does exactly what they tell her, like a robot, and she believes that is truly what she wants to do too.

Why would you want to do what other people simply tell you to do? Because they brainwash you into thinking that is what you want too, or because you’re too lazy to figure More...

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Nov 28, 2009

June rated it:

Good story. Pretty inspiring for the young ladies who really want to have unique experiences but don't have the "luck" of getting whisked away to foreign countries to have unrealistic experiences. There's a good message in this book somewhere, but the story just tries so hard! And for that, I just can't give it a really great rating. It's a good book for parents to feel good about giving to their kids, but in my opinion, I could see this book messing with my mind at a young age. I coul More...

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Jun 15, 2009

Casandria rated it:

I really enjoyed this book. It's the story of a control-freak sophomore who ends up backpacking around south-east Asia with her bohemian grandmother. Her obsessive personality and that of her parents was really over-done, but for some reason it worked here. Vassar can't help but be changed and enchanted by the culture of this new continent. She gets into some pretty scary and dangerous situations, but through them, she learns to LIM (live in the moment). I can't imagine trying to make my wa More...

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May 25, 2011

Yoon rated it:

Although I assumed the author was attempting to deliver the concept of "seize the day" or Carpe Diem, as the title says, I was more amazed at how the protagist Vassar Spore, was so organized and motivated in her academics. Ironically, I gained some advice on how to achieve my academica goals, and I was pleased that I did. So when Vassar Spore was blackmailed by her Grandma Gertude to go on a tour of South-East Asia to seek "adventure", I reacted the same as the protagonist. W More...

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Feb 10, 2010

Serena rated it:

I started this book on the bus home today, and couldn't put it down until I finished. Laugh-out-loud funny, Ms. Cornwell does a fantastic job describing an overachiever's adventure throughout Southeast Asia. The characters, although all quirky, were relatable, and had something special to share with each reader. Stick Girl was probably my favorite, but you have to read the book to find out why.......

Peppered with Latin phrases, a Latin-learner myself, I enjoyed challenging my brain, More...

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Nov 24, 2008

Karla rated it:

Type A, driven Vassar Spore (named after the college) has her entire life planned out, and her plans don't include a summer spent backpacking in southeast Asia. But when Grandma Gerd blackmails her parents into sending her, Vassar determines she will learn the big "secret" being held over her parents while, of course, writing a novel of her experiences. She doesn't expect to fall for Hanks, an asian cowboy with an Elvis pompadour and boots, or to find herself held hostage in an opium More...

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Mar 24, 2011

Ann rated it:

I picked this young adult book because the last book I read was far too depressing, and this looked like it was funny. And it was. The premise is that uptight valedictorian-to-be Vassar Spore is sent to southeast Asia for to spend a summer with the artist grandma she's never met, and the only reason her overprotective parents let her go is because grandma is threatening to reveal some secret that they don't want Vassar to learn about. It's based on the author's own travels and is quite entert More...

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Aug 11, 2008

Sarah rated it:

Ok, I found it impossible to finish this book. I really did not enjoy it at all! It was cheesy, not to mention badly written. Sorry, Megan, this one is absolutely not for me.

1 comment like (1 person liked it)

May 06, 2010

Erin rated it:

I've been recently working my way through a pile of free books I got from various friends/conferences/etc. This was from an ALA conference. I got to around p. 100, then gave up, although I did read the end to find out what the big secret was. It was more or less what I expected, with some minor variations. The story itself wasn't too bad, but the voice it was written in was exceedingly irritating & the moral of the story had a kind of hit-you-over-the-head quality to it. Perhaps if I'd read thi More...

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Aug 26, 2010

Michaelle rated it:

This book had me laughing out loud any number of times. The pictues that Autumn paints with her words were amazing.

Vassar and Hank and Gerd were very well developed characters that you couldn't help but like. It was interesting to watch Vassar as the story progressed and I love the authors page with her slide show of photos that inspired the story.

My 9-11th grade students, a mix of boys and girls, all enjoyed this book. That is saying a good deal as they are my student More...

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Feb 12, 2008

Elizabeth rated it:

I laughed throughout this book - very funny!

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

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