Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
94th out of 155 books
—
84 voters
Mixed Bags (Carter House Girls #1)
When her mom died, DJ had to move in with her grandmother, internationally famous '60s fashion model Katherine Carter. Now Mrs. Carter's opened a boarding home for young ladies, and DJ---who would rather wear her basketball team uniform than haute couture---is just sure they'll all be unbearable fashion snobs. One by one, the girls arrive and begin to figure out how to fit...more
Paperback, 219 pages
Published
May 6th 2008
by Zondervan Publishing Company
(first published April 22nd 2008)
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
1,988)
Apparently, when it comes to Christian YA fiction, it's a toss-up. You either get good writing and a some-what interesting storyline (see the Sweet Seasons novels) or you get a book that's not too preachy-preachy (like this series), but you can't have your cake and eat it too. What's unfortunate, in my opinion, is that Melody Carlson is a prolific writer--she's got literally tons of books in the Christian fiction genre. What does that say about tastes?
Some of the characters in these books are in...more
Some of the characters in these books are in...more
Mixed Bags is a great book for teenage girls. There are characters with every personality to relate to every reader. These high school girls deal with all kinds of drama and things girls really do go through. This book can relate to any and every girl while giving them helpful advice as well.
I really liked how this book relates to different people, but still tells a great story. Not all Christian books can do this. I really appreciate the fact that you don't open the book and it immediately pr...more
I really liked how this book relates to different people, but still tells a great story. Not all Christian books can do this. I really appreciate the fact that you don't open the book and it immediately pr...more
DJ is in high school and jsut trying to fit in. Her recent loss of her mother has made her father move her into her grandmothers house. Here her grandmother has started a house to hold girls that she wishes to transform in to debutantes. With already having trouble fitting in being forced to live with already beautiful and popular girls is just going to make DJ's life that much harder. You watch as she adjusts to living with these 5 new girls who're just as different from her as they are from ea...more
About the book:
After DJ's mom died, she had to move in with her grandmother, Katherine Carter, a retired internationally famous '60s fashion model. Now Mrs. Carter has decided to open a boarding home for girls, and DJ who would rather wear her team jersey than Gucci and Prada thinks that these girls will all be intolerable fashion snobs. One by one, the girls arrive and begin to figure out how to fit into this new lifestyle, and forming friendships. Sure, there's an aspiring prima donna or two,...more
Great characters and story. But. Same old resolution from Carlson. I keep telling myself to not read her books anymore. Because I already know how it'll end... finding Jesus. But the interactions, conflicts and general storytelling is worth it. I just pray (lol) for a better ending. I think an author should be more creative and try something different with each book. Grow a little. All my favorite authors do this. This pattern is constant and repeated from the 4 or so books I've read by Carlson....more
view 1 comment
This book was very... interesting at first because I'm so very used to reading in first person point of view but this was third person. I adjusted to it and it was quite an excellent book. I still haven't read the sequel: Stealing Bradford, but I am very much looking forward to it. If you hesitating on reading this book or if you think the beginning sucks and wanna put it down.. DO NOT DO THAT. I t gets very good and I, honestly, am a twilight fan and can't put the twilight series books down(I k...more
Melody Carlson's books are so easy to dive into. On page two I already feel like I'm in the story. The characters in Mixed Bags are authentic teen personas, each trying to find their way, despite initial appearances of rich, fashion queen type divas with a few outsiders trying to figure out how they'll choose to fit in or choose not to fit in hanging on the fringes. The characters are faced with real, daily issues. It's refreshing to see them make both good and bad choices. My only quip is that...more
D.J.`s grandmother has created a bording house for young women. The point of Mrs.Carter raising the girls is teaching them manners and how to be proper young women. D.J. dosen`t think that she can take any of this because she is afraid that the girls will be all girly and D.J. is nothing like those girls. Boy was D.J. right! The girls are nothing like D.J. and she can`t handle them. D.J. decides to run away from her home in Philidelphia for a while... but she isn`t gone forever. Can D.J. handle...more
This was a quick, easy read that I think a lot of young girls could relate to. While the book is considered Christian fiction, it doesn't really focus on that until the end. It is a good read about a young girl who doesn't quite fit in and tries to make the right decisions for her life. It deals with peer pressure, bullying, and insecurities. It is pretty surface, but still has some depth so that it isn't mindless. The premise is fun, so I'm interested in the direction the rest of the series wil...more
I have come to the realization that Melody Carlson's books just don't have a whole lot to them. They're fairly slow moving, and not a lot happens. I have further realized it's because she writes series, and maybe doesn't have a whole lot of plot, and wants to stretch out the books. At least each book is short, which is the way YA books should be, if you ask me.
I do enjoy her writing, though, and she has excellent character development. The religion in her books is fairly mild, but it's definitel...more
I do enjoy her writing, though, and she has excellent character development. The religion in her books is fairly mild, but it's definitel...more
This is the first book in a young adult series.about the Carter House Girls. It kind of has religious content and this was the story about Desiree and her grandmother Carter. Mrs. Carter has opened her home to young debutantes to help them become young ladies and there are currently 6 of them living with her in a large house. I am sure young people would have liked it more than I did. It might mean that DJ has a book about her and Connor in the future, but not sure.
This is a cute story of a Grandmother taking in a total of 6 teens to teach them how to be Proper ladies and beautiful women, yet Grandma has no experience with teens. DJ is her actual granddaughter and her Grandmother expects more out her than the other girls. All the girls are different in their own way, and at the end of the book the author throws in a bit a religion. Basically, the book is about the difficulty of growing up for girls and how they deal with what life throws them. Its Good.
I tried to read this on a road trip. I found myself staring out the window instead of reading. It was and okay read. Definelty a teen book that had zero redeeming qualities for me. I do like to read teen books to then pass on titles to teens I know. THis is not one of them. Her other series Diary of a teeanage girl had more substenance. This was all fluff. I brought three from the series and only made it thru this one. I will not be reading the others.
This is a story of 6 teenage girls living with a retired 60's fashion model, Katherine Carter, in a boarding home. DJ is the main character. She moved in with her grandmother, Mrs. Carter, when her mom died. Soon, other girls start arriving at the boarding home, and DJ, a total tomboy, thinks the others are stuck-up brats. You should read this to find out what happens to DJ as the girls start to become 'sisters'; dating, sharing clothes and secrets.
I would recommend this book to teenage girls wh...more
I would recommend this book to teenage girls wh...more
I must admit I'm not a big fan of teen angst in books. This one was OK though. I liked the concept of a boarding house for girls - it didn't feel too snobby. The entire time I'm reading the book I found myself rooting for the underdogs (the less than fashionable residents of the boarding house). Melody Carlson writes some great stories. I've read several of her adult fiction titles and have really enjoyed them.
I got this book for Christmas. It's really hard to put down! Melody Carlson is a really good writer. But I don't know how Christian it is... There's Christian stuff at the end, though -DJ, the main character, is converted and I expect the next book which I haven't read yet won't have as much dating and alcohol etc.
*****EDIT:
WHO WROTE THIS REVIEW?!?! Haha, very clear and meaningful, Sandy. *sarcastically* I think what I meant to say is that this series is entertaining but shallow. It's labeled as...more
*****EDIT:
WHO WROTE THIS REVIEW?!?! Haha, very clear and meaningful, Sandy. *sarcastically* I think what I meant to say is that this series is entertaining but shallow. It's labeled as...more
This was much better than the diary of a teenage girls series IMO. This book is about a group of girls who live in a boarding house ran by one of the girl's grandmother, who is set out to teach the girls about fashion and being respectable. With their different personalities, a lot of drama occurs and one of the girls will find her faith.
I love the characters and how smooth the story unfolds. There are some very good lessons for young girls in this book and it's unique yet realistic (well, besid...more
I love the characters and how smooth the story unfolds. There are some very good lessons for young girls in this book and it's unique yet realistic (well, besid...more
I picked a christian book up to read a christian book not a book that's full of smut. If I wanted that I would go into the teen section. Overall just the storyline was seemed amazing until I started reading it. No girl gets all buddy buddy with everyone in three days also I realized by reading the backs of her other books that most of them are knockoffs of Jenny b. Jones' books.
![Melody [not just some girl you can sway]](http://d.gr-assets.com/users/1285560989p2/1612224.jpg)
Meh. Melody Carlson, you have lost your touch. This series is full of cliches, awkward dialogue, and reused plot. True Colors was brilliant - it's one of the only Christian YA series that I can actually relate to. Now, if you give me one of her characters, I can probably find 1-4 complete twins in her other books. Honestly, Ms. Carlson, you're choosing quantity over quality.
I thought the writing was sloppy. The author crammed most of the necessary background information into the dialogues (hence "telling" instead of "showing"), and it just came out bad. The main character was one-dimensional (and we were expected to root for her), and the rest of the characters were just unlikeable. After a few chapters I just had to put the book down.
Mar 05, 2009
Kt
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
teenage girls, fans of Diary of Teeange Girl books
Mixed Bags by Melody Carlson is a great book. Melody lays out the foundation for the rest of the series well and you get to know the girls and their individualities. I would kind of compare Mixed Bags to a pilot episode of a TV show; it is not completely full of action or anything, but you get a feel for the series. It is a pretty quick read and the extra two chapters of the next book at the end takes the story a bit father, giving us ideas of what's to come. As some other people might have said...more
Apr 02, 2011
Jazz
added it
This is a perfect teen book. Showing how you take a bunch of girls with different backgrounds and put them in one big house where their all supposed to be perfect models, literally, is an ey opener for most adults. Showing how teens girls react to certian incidents and pressure will help parents understand their child better.
I normally really like Melody Carlson books, but I was a bit disappointed in this one. I understand that this is the first in a series of books for young adults. I believe there are going to be 8 of these books (The Carter House Girls series) all together, and I think 5 of them have already been released. I know that this first one was really just setting the stage and introducing the characters, but it just didn't grab me in any way. I do like the rating here at GoodReads - two stars is "just o...more
This book was a new idea to me. I thought the idea of a bunch of girls coming together in a boarding house to learn about fashion was going to be interesting. But the plot was weak and anything interesting moved to quickly. It's really not something you read if your looking to cuddle up with an interesting novel.
I didn't realize that this book was young adult book until I started to read it. I just wanted to try the kindle app on my iPad and this was a free download from amazon. That being said, I liked the book. I downloaded the second book in the series as well, and i'll for sure read it soon.
First in the Carter House Girls series, the book sets the stage for establishing relationships among the six girls who have come to live in the Victorian era boarding house. Won't be difficult for many girls to identify with one or more of these young ladies as they deal with high school issues, and try to decide where they will fit in. Strong Christian message.
This book was cute. I like the premise, six teenage girls living in a house with a 70 year old woman who is going to teach them to be ladies.
I related with the main character DJ and her struggle to be true to herself, figure out who that is, and how to fit in. I think we all go through these emotions, even as adults.
I related with the main character DJ and her struggle to be true to herself, figure out who that is, and how to fit in. I think we all go through these emotions, even as adults.
Jun 18, 2008
Margaret
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
teen girls and moms
Recommended to Margaret by:
FIRST
When I first started this book, I was not too sure of how I would like it. But then as I left it and went to do some other things, I realized that I kept thinking about the story, and could not get it out of my head! This is the first, I think, of Melody Carlson that I've been able to read.. meaning get my hands on. It is a great little story that should be read by all mid-high school girls. It is so real to life and it does meet up with every type of girl. You can see yourself and remember your...more
I felt like this just got started and then it was over. Because it is a series it is broken up more than I would have liked. Nice attitude though, for once a teen book that doesn't glorify teen drinking and bad behavior.
This book was recommended to me but I am not sure if I'll continue with the series. didn't realize it was Christian young adult so my rating is likely unfair lol. I like a little more gossip girl in my young adult reading.
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Melody Carlson is the award-winning author of over two hundred books, several of them Christmas novellas from Revell, including her much-loved and bestselling book, The Christmas Bus.
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspi...more
More about Melody Carlson...
She also writes many teen books, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, the TrueColors series, and the Carter House Girls series.
Melody was nominated for a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in the inspi...more
Share This Book
3 trivia questions
More quizzes & trivia...
