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Georgetown Academy #1-4
Georgetown Academy: Season One
Available for the first time in a single volume, the first four books of the Georgetown Academy series have been hailed by Gossip Girl producer, Josh Schwartz, as “Smart, sexy and insanely addictive.” Now it’s your turn to get hooked.
Meet Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn — Four sophomores at Georgetown Academy, D.C.’s most exclusive private school, where among the exclusive parties and perfectly manicured lawns, student life seems drama-free. But everyone always has something to hide.
THE IT GIRL NEXT DOOR
Everyone wants a piece of Ellie Walker and her Senator mom, but Ellie’s always been happy to cede the spotlight. Kind-hearted, sweet, and half of G.A.’s perfect power couple, Ellie has it all…until her ex-boyfriend, Gabe, moves back to town and turns her world upside down leaving her to choose between love and loyalty.
THE DC PRINCESS
Brinley Madison, of those Madisons, relishes her family’s status as the ultimate D.C. insiders. While her political strategist father plays kingmaker, Brinley maneuvers behind the scenes in school and at home. Brinley knows better than to keep a secret that could hurt her family, but sometimes desire turns to addiction, putting the family reputation at risk.
THE OUTSIDER
Evan Hartnett doesn’t have the typical pedigree of a G.A., student. In fact, she has no pedigree at all. Her academic scholarship may get her access to the classroom, but she’s still on the outside looking in…until a series of unexpected boyfriends rocket her to national attention.
THE CALIFORNIA GIRL
Taryn Reyes’ laid-back, bohemian vibe doesn’t exactly mesh with her new surroundings, but she’s remarkably secure and unconcerned. But after her first run-in with D.C.’s dirty politics, she finds out that keeping her integrity and her heart intact may be harder than she thinks.
Meet Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn — Four sophomores at Georgetown Academy, D.C.’s most exclusive private school, where among the exclusive parties and perfectly manicured lawns, student life seems drama-free. But everyone always has something to hide.
THE IT GIRL NEXT DOOR
Everyone wants a piece of Ellie Walker and her Senator mom, but Ellie’s always been happy to cede the spotlight. Kind-hearted, sweet, and half of G.A.’s perfect power couple, Ellie has it all…until her ex-boyfriend, Gabe, moves back to town and turns her world upside down leaving her to choose between love and loyalty.
THE DC PRINCESS
Brinley Madison, of those Madisons, relishes her family’s status as the ultimate D.C. insiders. While her political strategist father plays kingmaker, Brinley maneuvers behind the scenes in school and at home. Brinley knows better than to keep a secret that could hurt her family, but sometimes desire turns to addiction, putting the family reputation at risk.
THE OUTSIDER
Evan Hartnett doesn’t have the typical pedigree of a G.A., student. In fact, she has no pedigree at all. Her academic scholarship may get her access to the classroom, but she’s still on the outside looking in…until a series of unexpected boyfriends rocket her to national attention.
THE CALIFORNIA GIRL
Taryn Reyes’ laid-back, bohemian vibe doesn’t exactly mesh with her new surroundings, but she’s remarkably secure and unconcerned. But after her first run-in with D.C.’s dirty politics, she finds out that keeping her integrity and her heart intact may be harder than she thinks.
Paperback
First published June 9, 2013
About the author
Alyssa Embree Schwartz
10 books77 followersAlyssa Embree Schwartz is one half of a writing team with Jessica Koosed Etting. The two met the first day of freshman year at the University of Southern California and instantly bonded over their obsessions with Brenda Walsh, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves and The Babysitters Club books they read growing up. After spending a full year mourning the end of college, they began writing television and feature scripts together. They have set up pilots at ABC, NBC, Fox and CW, and sold films to The Weinstein Company, Happy Madison, Paramount, New Regency, MGM and Alloy Entertainment. They love writing female-centric stories, especially for teen and tween audiences, mainly because they still think they are the 18-year-old girls they were when they first met at USC.
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June 12, 2013Hi guys!
We are super excited about the launch of books 1-4 of Georgetown Academy as a Season One bundle!
If 1000 people add Georgetown Academy Season One to their "To-Read" shelves by June 30, 2013, we'll release a never-seen-before, deleted scene from the series on the Season One Goodreads page!
If 2000 people add it, we'll release a never-seen-before Book One scene from one of the GA guys' perspectives -- finally a chance to get inside their heads!
Add Season One to your shelf now! http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18...
And join the Ask Alyssa and Jessica Goodreads group! http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...
xx Jessica and Alyssa
June 10, 2013
MY TOP TEN REASONS TO READ AND LOVE GEORGETOWN ACADEMY:
1. The clothes. I DIE to wear some of these outfits. No seriously, I’m writing this from the grave because I’ve died of clothes envy.
2. Four completely unique and authentic young women’s voices who are dealing with public pressure and scrutiny with the most amount of grace and no small amount of ambition.
3. The writing. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s accurate and it flows so well that it actually energizes your reading experience.
4. Well the hot boys aren’t hurting things either.
5. Politics. GTA makes politics not only interesting but relevant to a generation that is just coming of age in a world where politics is more polarized than ever.
6. Voyeurism. I don’t like to support tabloids or gossip rags or the paparazzi in real life but HOT DAMN if I’m not totally into it when it’s a fictional world.
7. Scandal. I guess this is really 6.5 but who doesn’t love a good scandal. It’s impossible to tear your eyes away from the train wrecks.
8. Parents. This is a big deal to me, but finally and thankfully we don’t have completely absentee parents, or bad parents, or evil parents. These parents genuinely care about their kids and while they may make mistakes it’s a welcome change in the YA world for me.
9. D.C. Setting can make or break a book but D.C. with its history and monuments and power is an ideal location. I don’t ever get tired of exploring more of our nation’s capitol in GTA.
10. The Authors. They are so sweet and it’s crazy to me that they can write four young women so perfectly and seamlessly. Honestly, they have a single author voice and yet there is two of them. What witchcraft is this?
1. The clothes. I DIE to wear some of these outfits. No seriously, I’m writing this from the grave because I’ve died of clothes envy.
2. Four completely unique and authentic young women’s voices who are dealing with public pressure and scrutiny with the most amount of grace and no small amount of ambition.
3. The writing. It’s quick, it’s easy, it’s accurate and it flows so well that it actually energizes your reading experience.
4. Well the hot boys aren’t hurting things either.
5. Politics. GTA makes politics not only interesting but relevant to a generation that is just coming of age in a world where politics is more polarized than ever.
6. Voyeurism. I don’t like to support tabloids or gossip rags or the paparazzi in real life but HOT DAMN if I’m not totally into it when it’s a fictional world.
7. Scandal. I guess this is really 6.5 but who doesn’t love a good scandal. It’s impossible to tear your eyes away from the train wrecks.
8. Parents. This is a big deal to me, but finally and thankfully we don’t have completely absentee parents, or bad parents, or evil parents. These parents genuinely care about their kids and while they may make mistakes it’s a welcome change in the YA world for me.
9. D.C. Setting can make or break a book but D.C. with its history and monuments and power is an ideal location. I don’t ever get tired of exploring more of our nation’s capitol in GTA.
10. The Authors. They are so sweet and it’s crazy to me that they can write four young women so perfectly and seamlessly. Honestly, they have a single author voice and yet there is two of them. What witchcraft is this?
February 12, 2017
Are you looking for your next Young Adult Contemporary read? Why don’t you grab your Kindle and read Georgetown Academy by Alyssa Embree Schwartz & Jessica Koosed Etting. Georgetown Academy has been hailed by Gossip Girl producer, Josh Schwartz, as “Smart, sexy and insanely addictive.”
Georgetown Academy, Season One follows the story of Ellie Walker, the DC Sweetheart, Brinley Madison, the DC Princess, Evan Hartnett, the goody two shoes & Taryn Reyes, the new girl in town. They all attend the most exclusive private school, where all fancy parties are being held, where life isn’t actually drama-free and the place where all the spectacle unfolds. Georgetown Academy has a very engaging plot. I finished it in one sitting down. I don’t have any qualms getting into the story. That’s how gripping and fun it is to read. The characters are vivid, real and relatable. Their stories offer a valuable lesson we can always learn. One of the greatest things about reading Georgetown Academy is that politics play a significant part of the plot and even If I have zero interest in politics it certainly piqued my buds. It was perfectly executed. It’s like reading a Scandal slash Gossip Girl episode. Georgetown Academy has been easily one of my favorite reads this year. A highly recommendable series to everyone.
June 26, 2013
I kept seeing the covers for GA on Netgalley as well as various friends on Goodreads marking it as TBR. It piqued my interest. Shortly after I requested to review a couple of the books on Netgalley I was invited to join the Coliloquy group and received a review copy of Season One in exchange for an honest review.
Things I loved about the book:
1. Strong women characters
2. Many people eventually taking responsibility for their actions
3. Good relations between parents and kids with real respect by kids for parents
4. Drinking, drugs, sex was not played up as "fantastic" but was not ignored
5. Authors attempted to tackle issues of being gay, classism, rape drugs, rape (fairly well handled didn't trigger me)
6. Friendship, what does it mean, can it recover from betrayal
7. Revenge, the good, bad, and the ugly
8. Humor
9. The ability to choose to follow particular girls for parts of stories (I always went back & followed all four)
Things I didn't like as much
1. Parents putting too much pressure on kids
2. I would have liked to see at least one of the gay kids out-of-the-closet
Being in my mid-40s there were a few things that reminded me I was reading a YA book: teenage angst, focus on boys, if we can't be together my life might be over. But those were kept to a minimum and the rest of the story and characters were so fascinating that the YA issues didn't bother me as much as usual.
Things I loved about the book:
1. Strong women characters
2. Many people eventually taking responsibility for their actions
3. Good relations between parents and kids with real respect by kids for parents
4. Drinking, drugs, sex was not played up as "fantastic" but was not ignored
5. Authors attempted to tackle issues of being gay, classism, rape drugs, rape (fairly well handled didn't trigger me)
6. Friendship, what does it mean, can it recover from betrayal
7. Revenge, the good, bad, and the ugly
8. Humor
9. The ability to choose to follow particular girls for parts of stories (I always went back & followed all four)
Things I didn't like as much
1. Parents putting too much pressure on kids
2. I would have liked to see at least one of the gay kids out-of-the-closet
Being in my mid-40s there were a few things that reminded me I was reading a YA book: teenage angst, focus on boys, if we can't be together my life might be over. But those were kept to a minimum and the rest of the story and characters were so fascinating that the YA issues didn't bother me as much as usual.
July 18, 2014
For full review please click here
Dayum. When I picked this book up, I was expecting a fair bit of drama- relationships, falling outs etc. etc. and that's definitely what I got. I just wasn't expecting it to be so damn good! Georgetown Academy is, in one word: addicting. It's incredibly addicting. Just the drama after drama after drama keeps you absolutely riveted. See, in some other books, the constant drama would be terrible, but in GA this certainly wasn't the case. It was deliciously scandalous. Not that I watch Gossip Girl, but I imagine if you enjoy TV shows like that, you'd probably enjoy this series.
I loved how the book was written in a multiple point of view style- you could see the story as each of the characters sees it. It was nice how the different points of views entwined until you eventually get the entire picture. It was also good how even though it was an active fiction (i.e. choose your own adventure), you could still go back and choose all the other options, so it wasn't as if you felt like you were missing out on sections. Then again, if you didn't like a particular girl, you wouldn't necessarily have to read excessive amounts from her point of view. (I read all the points of view though, because I didn't want to regret not choosing certain options).
Quick character descriptions:
Evan- honest, always tries to do the best by her friends, pretty much just all round awesome.
Ellie- the "perfect" one who attempts to hide her flaws, more worried about her behaviour reflecting back on her mother's image than her own happiness.
Brinley- initially a bit of a bitch, definitely concerned about her image, gets better as the series progresses
Taryn- new girl, individual, but does also try to fit in, a tad opportunistic.
All four main love interests- *fans self*
Liesel and Nora- oh god, these guys are hilarious. They just say the stupidest things like "totes" and "adorbs" (those are the mild ones)
In procrastinating for my upcoming exams, I decided to draw up a character flow chart for how the relationships stand pretty early on in the series (Books 1 and 2):
Yeah, sorry about the quality of the image not being that great, but I couldn't be screwed taking a better photo because I really should be studying right now...#guilt
Also, the "a certain someone" was my attempt to not have spoilers.
At the end of season one, I definitely like Evan the best, but to be honest, was shipping all of the relationships to the max. All the love interests were such great matches for the main characters! I really can't wait to see what the authors pull out for the next season!
Dayum. When I picked this book up, I was expecting a fair bit of drama- relationships, falling outs etc. etc. and that's definitely what I got. I just wasn't expecting it to be so damn good! Georgetown Academy is, in one word: addicting. It's incredibly addicting. Just the drama after drama after drama keeps you absolutely riveted. See, in some other books, the constant drama would be terrible, but in GA this certainly wasn't the case. It was deliciously scandalous. Not that I watch Gossip Girl, but I imagine if you enjoy TV shows like that, you'd probably enjoy this series.
I loved how the book was written in a multiple point of view style- you could see the story as each of the characters sees it. It was nice how the different points of views entwined until you eventually get the entire picture. It was also good how even though it was an active fiction (i.e. choose your own adventure), you could still go back and choose all the other options, so it wasn't as if you felt like you were missing out on sections. Then again, if you didn't like a particular girl, you wouldn't necessarily have to read excessive amounts from her point of view. (I read all the points of view though, because I didn't want to regret not choosing certain options).
Quick character descriptions:
Evan- honest, always tries to do the best by her friends, pretty much just all round awesome.
Ellie- the "perfect" one who attempts to hide her flaws, more worried about her behaviour reflecting back on her mother's image than her own happiness.
Brinley- initially a bit of a bitch, definitely concerned about her image, gets better as the series progresses
Taryn- new girl, individual, but does also try to fit in, a tad opportunistic.
All four main love interests- *fans self*
Liesel and Nora- oh god, these guys are hilarious. They just say the stupidest things like "totes" and "adorbs" (those are the mild ones)
In procrastinating for my upcoming exams, I decided to draw up a character flow chart for how the relationships stand pretty early on in the series (Books 1 and 2):
Yeah, sorry about the quality of the image not being that great, but I couldn't be screwed taking a better photo because I really should be studying right now...#guilt
Also, the "a certain someone" was my attempt to not have spoilers.
At the end of season one, I definitely like Evan the best, but to be honest, was shipping all of the relationships to the max. All the love interests were such great matches for the main characters! I really can't wait to see what the authors pull out for the next season!
June 13, 2013
** Received a copy of the book via the publisher Coliloquy in return for a review **
Recommended for:
1. people who have an interest in the ins and outs of the political world
2. people that enjoy the following book series;Gossip Girl,The It Girl, The Au PairsandPretty Little Liars.
Firstly, I have to thank the publisher for piquing my interest in the Georgetown Academy series by adding a sneak peek of the series in Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli. Similar to the above mentioned novel the Georgetown Academy series allows the reader to explore the main plots by seeing the events and drama from multiple points of view. Ever since reading Gossip Girl when I was younger I have become a major fan-girl of this writing technique.
Although the reader is only with each individual characters point of view for a chapter at a time, each character is well developed with unique characteristics. It is easy to differentiate the girls from one another and to also point out similarities. Also although I have little to no interest in politics I really enjoyed gaining an insight into the inner workings of political strategies and campaigns. I must admit as a Non-US individual some of the acronyms, political titles and American History went right over my head but I also learned a lot through reading the volume.
Another aspect of the volume that really stood out is the readers ability to choose which of the leading ladies - Ellie, Brinley, Taryn & Evan- to "follow" in critical scenes and events. This is something that I have never come across before and the temptation to read each version of the chapter is high. I choose to follow Ellie in each of these events because
The volume is full time high drama, high paced, well written and completely enthralling. I cannot wait for the next installment!
Plus the ending for Ellie and her mother sort of made me feel like this :
Recommended for:
1. people who have an interest in the ins and outs of the political world
2. people that enjoy the following book series;Gossip Girl,The It Girl, The Au PairsandPretty Little Liars.
Firstly, I have to thank the publisher for piquing my interest in the Georgetown Academy series by adding a sneak peek of the series in Game. Set. Match. by Jennifer Iacopelli. Similar to the above mentioned novel the Georgetown Academy series allows the reader to explore the main plots by seeing the events and drama from multiple points of view. Ever since reading Gossip Girl when I was younger I have become a major fan-girl of this writing technique.
Although the reader is only with each individual characters point of view for a chapter at a time, each character is well developed with unique characteristics. It is easy to differentiate the girls from one another and to also point out similarities. Also although I have little to no interest in politics I really enjoyed gaining an insight into the inner workings of political strategies and campaigns. I must admit as a Non-US individual some of the acronyms, political titles and American History went right over my head but I also learned a lot through reading the volume.
Another aspect of the volume that really stood out is the readers ability to choose which of the leading ladies - Ellie, Brinley, Taryn & Evan- to "follow" in critical scenes and events. This is something that I have never come across before and the temptation to read each version of the chapter is high. I choose to follow Ellie in each of these events because
The volume is full time high drama, high paced, well written and completely enthralling. I cannot wait for the next installment!
Plus the ending for Ellie and her mother sort of made me feel like this :
June 24, 2017
I received this book from the authors in exchange for an honest review.
Georgetown Academy is a high school story about teenagers whose parents are into politics i.e. the senate, congress, or even political ties. It is the story of all the drama and politics that go on in their own lives. The book follows the lives of Ellie, Brinley, Evan, Taryn, Hunter, Gabe, and Brooks.
This Academy had enough love triangle going on to make my head spin. Everyone wanted to be with someone that was taken, or was with someone they didn't want to be with. It was annoying. And the politics drove me crazy. I researched the book before agreeing to read it for review, but I should know better than to sign up for a book involving politics.
I found most of the characters hard to like. Everyone was playing a game to get ahead. The last season brought me some peace, as some of the relationships finally turned for the better. There was so much drama with Gabe and Ellie that wanted to be together but couldn't since their parents were enemies. I think I liked Brooks the best. He seemed the most honest out of all of them. Taryn wanted to do right but her attitude annoyed me. And Evan worked with news and usually made the right choice, but I was afraid she wouldn't all the time. I don't like it when people dig low to find dirt on others to ruin them.
If you love politics, high school drama, and finding out all the details of what the rich are wearing then this book is for you. I found it to be well written, it just wasn't for me.
Reviews at www.enthralledbybooks.blogspot.com
Georgetown Academy is a high school story about teenagers whose parents are into politics i.e. the senate, congress, or even political ties. It is the story of all the drama and politics that go on in their own lives. The book follows the lives of Ellie, Brinley, Evan, Taryn, Hunter, Gabe, and Brooks.
This Academy had enough love triangle going on to make my head spin. Everyone wanted to be with someone that was taken, or was with someone they didn't want to be with. It was annoying. And the politics drove me crazy. I researched the book before agreeing to read it for review, but I should know better than to sign up for a book involving politics.
I found most of the characters hard to like. Everyone was playing a game to get ahead. The last season brought me some peace, as some of the relationships finally turned for the better. There was so much drama with Gabe and Ellie that wanted to be together but couldn't since their parents were enemies. I think I liked Brooks the best. He seemed the most honest out of all of them. Taryn wanted to do right but her attitude annoyed me. And Evan worked with news and usually made the right choice, but I was afraid she wouldn't all the time. I don't like it when people dig low to find dirt on others to ruin them.
If you love politics, high school drama, and finding out all the details of what the rich are wearing then this book is for you. I found it to be well written, it just wasn't for me.
Reviews at www.enthralledbybooks.blogspot.com
June 14, 2013
Georgetown Academy is a sensational new series which, in my opinion, is chick lit suitable for young adults. I’ve given an individual five-star rating to each of the four books in this magnificent series, although I think ten-stars would be a more deserving rating. This series isn’t your typical YA read. There’s nothing average about it. With spectacular characters - each with her own story and unique style, traits, and attitude - Georgetown Academy is a compelling series that promises hours of entertainment and scandalous excitement. It definitely falls into the category of must-have books, and with such outstanding book covers and exceptional writing, what’s not to love about four quality titles all in one bundle?! Trust me, this is most certainly worth the splurge, so go ahead and treat yourself!
Shelved as 'to-read-ya-new-adult'
June 8, 2013I'm curious about this book especially since I grew up in the DC Metro area. I went to public schools but my classmates and friends were: son of a former VP, sons of current Senate majority leader and daughter of a prominent Senator.
June 11, 2013
Couldn't put this one down. Feeding baby with one hand, reading GA with the other :)
August 29, 2013
Copy kindly provided by publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Review Posted on Reading Lark 7/21/13: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2013/...
From the start, I loved the idea of these books and jumped at the chance to review them - with their backdrop of Washington DC politics (I'm a political junkie and I love vacationing in DC), the Gossip-Girl-esque drama (I watched the show for several seasons and reveled in the frivolity of it all), and an updated "Choose Your own Adventure" feature (I absolutely loved those books as a kid!) they were right up my alley. And though I went in eagerly with high hopes, I found that the first four books in the Georgetown Academy series just weren't able to give me the substance I look for in a four or five birdie review. But you all know that "man cannot live on bread alone" and these four titles were a decent break from the heavier stuff I'm reading right now - all four books are light reads, filled with enough romance, backstabbing, and excess to rival any soap opera on daytime TV.
Each of the four main characters (Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn) can be broken down into typical characters you see in YA books and movies - the beta good girl, the alpha bad girl, the pretty brain, and the new girl/DC outsider, and they don't often deviate from those roles. Each girl has a secret they're hiding and I found certain characters (Taryn) more enjoyable than others, though none of them are among my favorites. I just like more substance in my characters, even for "fluff" reads. There was too much time spent establishing the excess, wealth and power these girls (and their parents) had and not enough on THEM. I also like at least one character to have some redeeming qualities, but each girl has moments (some much more frequently than others) where they rationalize their drug use, cheating, libelous behavior, etc. as necessary. I work with teenagers every day and even the most spoiled and inane ones have moments of humanity that didn't often appear for these girls. In this series, the characters who take action based on their consciences are the love interests and I found myself enjoying those characters more than the girls.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the escapism of books like this and am sure girls who live like this do exist, but I just didn't find the scenarios and actions believable as a whole. The authors attempt to insert varying levels of hardship into the girls' lives, but it ultimately isn't successful because the stories focus so much on the luxury and excess, with shopping trips to Paris for school clothes, vacations with the President of the United States, and 24/7 chauffeurs to avoid any DUI's that might befall them. I also found the plot lines too predictable - I predicted every hook-up from Book One on and only one thing in all four books caught me off guard (beginning of Book Four, I won't spoil it for you though :) ).
A final point of contention, which has absolutely nothing to do with the writing, is the "Choose Your Own Adventure" (CYOA) feature and technology; it frustrated me and on more than one occasion it made me put my Kindle down and take a break. If you're like me, you still read every path in the CYOA books even though you aren't supposed to (bad reader, not following directions! ;) ) and part of the reason the CYOA appeals to you is that you can see how things turn out differently when different decisions are made (à la the movie Sliding Doors). The CYOA feature in the Georgetown Academy series is set up so the reader can view a single evening through the lens of a different girl each time. While this is still pretty cool, it didn't really offer any new perspective on the events or motivations for me (à la Midnight Sun) and the technology is frustrating. Each time I wanted to go back to the decision point to start another path, my Kindle took me elsewhere in the story and (I'm assuming here because I haven't had this trouble with any other e-books) because of the CYOA technology, the Kindle locations were all out of whack and made no sense.
Final Word: A drama-filled read with really good clothes. The Choose Your Own Adventure technology needs some work and there aren't a ton of deep, meaningful themes, but it's a decent light, fluffy read.
Review Posted on Reading Lark 7/21/13: http://readinglark.blogspot.com/2013/...
From the start, I loved the idea of these books and jumped at the chance to review them - with their backdrop of Washington DC politics (I'm a political junkie and I love vacationing in DC), the Gossip-Girl-esque drama (I watched the show for several seasons and reveled in the frivolity of it all), and an updated "Choose Your own Adventure" feature (I absolutely loved those books as a kid!) they were right up my alley. And though I went in eagerly with high hopes, I found that the first four books in the Georgetown Academy series just weren't able to give me the substance I look for in a four or five birdie review. But you all know that "man cannot live on bread alone" and these four titles were a decent break from the heavier stuff I'm reading right now - all four books are light reads, filled with enough romance, backstabbing, and excess to rival any soap opera on daytime TV.
Each of the four main characters (Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn) can be broken down into typical characters you see in YA books and movies - the beta good girl, the alpha bad girl, the pretty brain, and the new girl/DC outsider, and they don't often deviate from those roles. Each girl has a secret they're hiding and I found certain characters (Taryn) more enjoyable than others, though none of them are among my favorites. I just like more substance in my characters, even for "fluff" reads. There was too much time spent establishing the excess, wealth and power these girls (and their parents) had and not enough on THEM. I also like at least one character to have some redeeming qualities, but each girl has moments (some much more frequently than others) where they rationalize their drug use, cheating, libelous behavior, etc. as necessary. I work with teenagers every day and even the most spoiled and inane ones have moments of humanity that didn't often appear for these girls. In this series, the characters who take action based on their consciences are the love interests and I found myself enjoying those characters more than the girls.
Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the escapism of books like this and am sure girls who live like this do exist, but I just didn't find the scenarios and actions believable as a whole. The authors attempt to insert varying levels of hardship into the girls' lives, but it ultimately isn't successful because the stories focus so much on the luxury and excess, with shopping trips to Paris for school clothes, vacations with the President of the United States, and 24/7 chauffeurs to avoid any DUI's that might befall them. I also found the plot lines too predictable - I predicted every hook-up from Book One on and only one thing in all four books caught me off guard (beginning of Book Four, I won't spoil it for you though :) ).
A final point of contention, which has absolutely nothing to do with the writing, is the "Choose Your Own Adventure" (CYOA) feature and technology; it frustrated me and on more than one occasion it made me put my Kindle down and take a break. If you're like me, you still read every path in the CYOA books even though you aren't supposed to (bad reader, not following directions! ;) ) and part of the reason the CYOA appeals to you is that you can see how things turn out differently when different decisions are made (à la the movie Sliding Doors). The CYOA feature in the Georgetown Academy series is set up so the reader can view a single evening through the lens of a different girl each time. While this is still pretty cool, it didn't really offer any new perspective on the events or motivations for me (à la Midnight Sun) and the technology is frustrating. Each time I wanted to go back to the decision point to start another path, my Kindle took me elsewhere in the story and (I'm assuming here because I haven't had this trouble with any other e-books) because of the CYOA technology, the Kindle locations were all out of whack and made no sense.
Final Word: A drama-filled read with really good clothes. The Choose Your Own Adventure technology needs some work and there aren't a ton of deep, meaningful themes, but it's a decent light, fluffy read.
November 17, 2014
I won this book for free from the Goodreads giveaway program. As I write my review here, I will try not to alert to any spoilers. I also hope you will pick up a copy of your own to form your own opinions as well.
The copy I received is a LTD Print Edition with all 4 stories in one which made this print copy huge and kind of heavy! But because it is an advance copy from GoodReads giveaway, there is a possibility the publisher expanded the height of the book or went full digital on this concept.
I throughly enjoyed this book series! It fit right into my reading choices: drama, love, friendships, multiple story lines. One of my favorite parts is where you can "choose your own adventure" in following one of the four girls at the various "big" events in each book. All four are printed for me but I think this concept is more for an ebook. It's very creative indeed.
I liked how each chapter was a different point of view of the story. However, my suggestion would be to include the name of the girl we are following at the beginning of each chapter. Even though we hear from each girls point of view in a different chapter throughout the stories; there are times when the characters point of views merged together in the same chapter. It's still broken up in sections from different point of views but I preferred the chapter point of view breakups.
Within Book 2, the chapters are back to focusing just on the point of view of a specific character. My worry at first was how someone might react to reading Book 2 first having missed the facts from Book 1. It's silly, I know. But the author does cover some details laid out from Book 1 - not a lot but maybe enough to cover an unknown reader of Book 1.
The organization of Book 2 made more sense to me. Everyone was separate in their own chapters in the beginning, then came the "chose your own adventure," then all four point of views merged into one. I think what really helped was all four point of views happening one after the other rather than at the same time.
As I was reading Book 2, I discovered I was hooked! I also had a "jaw dropping moment" - like full on I opened my mouth and let it hang for 3 Mississippi's.
Within Book 3, I felt it wasn't as well organized as Book 2. There was a lot of jumping timeframes or character point of views in the same chapter. It also merged the characters story lines together in the same chapter, before the "choose your own adventure" section. I kind of liked this as a lead up to the "choose your own adventure." But I would have kept everyone separate up until that point.
The ending of Book 3 did not have the same hook as the first two. I think if we ended Book 3 on Taryn's piece that would have been best. I found myself thinking about her secret while reading the closing of Ellie, Brinley and Evan.
Within Book 4, there wasn't much that stood out to me. I think maybe at this point I was just numb to the story lines, organizations, characters and such that I just read through it casually. One thing I did realize is that some of the acronyms were not explained (or at least I missed them). For example, POTUS stands for President Of The United States. I finally figured this out in Book 4 within the final chapter.
The one thing that bothered me was the organization and information on the back cover. It begins with a "praising" review from the producer of Gossip Girl. I never watched Gossip girl but I can't help but envision the characters of this book to characters from that show or even the movies Mean Girls or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. Ellie I see as Blake Lively; Brinley as Gtetchen from Mean Girls… OR Ellie as Blake Lively, Evan as Amber Tablyn, Taryn as Carmen.
Also, the back cover listed descriptions about each girl. I thought, at first, they were descriptions regarding the four stories (four girls, four different stories). It wasn't until late in Book 2, if not into Book 3 that I realized these weren't descriptions about the books but rather about each character.
Overall I really enjoyed each story/book. It was easy to read, follow along and had a "jaw-dropping" moment here and there. I'm curious to see how this translated into an ebook especially with the "choose your own adventure" pieces (could you go back and read all of them if you wish?)
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Happy Reading!
The copy I received is a LTD Print Edition with all 4 stories in one which made this print copy huge and kind of heavy! But because it is an advance copy from GoodReads giveaway, there is a possibility the publisher expanded the height of the book or went full digital on this concept.
I throughly enjoyed this book series! It fit right into my reading choices: drama, love, friendships, multiple story lines. One of my favorite parts is where you can "choose your own adventure" in following one of the four girls at the various "big" events in each book. All four are printed for me but I think this concept is more for an ebook. It's very creative indeed.
I liked how each chapter was a different point of view of the story. However, my suggestion would be to include the name of the girl we are following at the beginning of each chapter. Even though we hear from each girls point of view in a different chapter throughout the stories; there are times when the characters point of views merged together in the same chapter. It's still broken up in sections from different point of views but I preferred the chapter point of view breakups.
Within Book 2, the chapters are back to focusing just on the point of view of a specific character. My worry at first was how someone might react to reading Book 2 first having missed the facts from Book 1. It's silly, I know. But the author does cover some details laid out from Book 1 - not a lot but maybe enough to cover an unknown reader of Book 1.
The organization of Book 2 made more sense to me. Everyone was separate in their own chapters in the beginning, then came the "chose your own adventure," then all four point of views merged into one. I think what really helped was all four point of views happening one after the other rather than at the same time.
As I was reading Book 2, I discovered I was hooked! I also had a "jaw dropping moment" - like full on I opened my mouth and let it hang for 3 Mississippi's.
Within Book 3, I felt it wasn't as well organized as Book 2. There was a lot of jumping timeframes or character point of views in the same chapter. It also merged the characters story lines together in the same chapter, before the "choose your own adventure" section. I kind of liked this as a lead up to the "choose your own adventure." But I would have kept everyone separate up until that point.
The ending of Book 3 did not have the same hook as the first two. I think if we ended Book 3 on Taryn's piece that would have been best. I found myself thinking about her secret while reading the closing of Ellie, Brinley and Evan.
Within Book 4, there wasn't much that stood out to me. I think maybe at this point I was just numb to the story lines, organizations, characters and such that I just read through it casually. One thing I did realize is that some of the acronyms were not explained (or at least I missed them). For example, POTUS stands for President Of The United States. I finally figured this out in Book 4 within the final chapter.
The one thing that bothered me was the organization and information on the back cover. It begins with a "praising" review from the producer of Gossip Girl. I never watched Gossip girl but I can't help but envision the characters of this book to characters from that show or even the movies Mean Girls or The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. Ellie I see as Blake Lively; Brinley as Gtetchen from Mean Girls… OR Ellie as Blake Lively, Evan as Amber Tablyn, Taryn as Carmen.
Also, the back cover listed descriptions about each girl. I thought, at first, they were descriptions regarding the four stories (four girls, four different stories). It wasn't until late in Book 2, if not into Book 3 that I realized these weren't descriptions about the books but rather about each character.
Overall I really enjoyed each story/book. It was easy to read, follow along and had a "jaw-dropping" moment here and there. I'm curious to see how this translated into an ebook especially with the "choose your own adventure" pieces (could you go back and read all of them if you wish?)
4.5 out of 5 Stars
Happy Reading!
August 1, 2013
The Georgetown Academy Series was a nice change of pace for me. It was fun, exciting, and certainly dramatic! As the synopsis says, it covers the lives of four girls who go to a private Academy that's based in the D.C. area. Most of the kids who attend school there have parents who are political figures. Some more famous than others. So, as you can imagine, there is lots of drama, competition, and, well...politics.
By the end, I did end up liking each girl in the series, but some took longer to warm up to for me. I probably connected with Ellie the most at first, so I'll talk about her first. Ellie is the daughter of a Senator. She's been around the political arena her whole life. Ellie has had to deal with life in the public eye. Her parents divorce caused quite the stir and consequently ruined her first real relationship with her then boyfriend Gabe. Within the first four books, Ellie has had to deal with the return of her ex, back stabbing friends, break-ups, being drugged, finding love again, AND her mother as a contender for VP! Whew! There were times I didn't necessarily agree with some of the choices she made, but she did seem to be a genuine girl and I was happy that she finally took a chance at the end and came clean to her mom about her feelings for Gabe. I can't wait to see what's going to happen for her next. Ellie has some huge changes coming up!
Taryn is new on the scene at the Academy, but her father has been in politics her whole life, so it's nothing new for her. However, life in DC, is a bit more cutthroat than life in sunny California. I liked Taryn right away. Even though she was the new girl, she wasn't intimidated by the established clicks at the school. She stayed true to herself throughout the whole season. I probably relate to Taryn the most out of all the girls. I loved where things ended with her and Brooks too.
Brinley took a while to warm up to. She's the quintessential mean girl of the Academy. She's also Ellie's best friend and her family is basically DC royalty. She is after all, a Madison. Now, Brinley does some things that aren't nice or honest. But, Brinley has had her share of issues to overcome too. Plus, I feel like she has a lot of pressure to look good to keep up the family image. What made me start to like Brinley was when they went on the ski retreat. I loved that she fell for Shane and in the end followed her heart. I just hope she continues on that path.
Lastly, there is Evan. For me, Evan was just ok. Not that I didn't like her, but I felt a bit indifferent to her character. However, I do see the significance of having her be a part of the series. She's the only one of these girls that doesn't come from a political family. She's at the school on a scholarship. She was best friends with Ellie until Brinley got in between them. But, their relationship is slightly turning around, but not without drama.
As for the boys, I'd have to say that Gabe is my favorite. He's honest, sweet, and sexy! I really liked Shane too, but he's only in the season briefly, so I'm hoping to get to know him better in the next season. I did like Brooks too. He's Brinley's brother and he has a thing for Taryn. He comes across a bit uptight, but I liked how he was with Taryn. I think she'll be good for him. Hunter was sweet too.
Overall, I really liked it. I'm interested in continuing with the series, because I'm curious to see what will happen. Books about privates schools/academies always fascinate me a bit. I grew up in a small town, so in some ways it was like going to a private school, but the pressures these kids face and the image they have to uphold is intense! If you like series like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, you'd likely be a fan of this series. It's fun, dramatic, and addicting!
By the end, I did end up liking each girl in the series, but some took longer to warm up to for me. I probably connected with Ellie the most at first, so I'll talk about her first. Ellie is the daughter of a Senator. She's been around the political arena her whole life. Ellie has had to deal with life in the public eye. Her parents divorce caused quite the stir and consequently ruined her first real relationship with her then boyfriend Gabe. Within the first four books, Ellie has had to deal with the return of her ex, back stabbing friends, break-ups, being drugged, finding love again, AND her mother as a contender for VP! Whew! There were times I didn't necessarily agree with some of the choices she made, but she did seem to be a genuine girl and I was happy that she finally took a chance at the end and came clean to her mom about her feelings for Gabe. I can't wait to see what's going to happen for her next. Ellie has some huge changes coming up!
Taryn is new on the scene at the Academy, but her father has been in politics her whole life, so it's nothing new for her. However, life in DC, is a bit more cutthroat than life in sunny California. I liked Taryn right away. Even though she was the new girl, she wasn't intimidated by the established clicks at the school. She stayed true to herself throughout the whole season. I probably relate to Taryn the most out of all the girls. I loved where things ended with her and Brooks too.
Brinley took a while to warm up to. She's the quintessential mean girl of the Academy. She's also Ellie's best friend and her family is basically DC royalty. She is after all, a Madison. Now, Brinley does some things that aren't nice or honest. But, Brinley has had her share of issues to overcome too. Plus, I feel like she has a lot of pressure to look good to keep up the family image. What made me start to like Brinley was when they went on the ski retreat. I loved that she fell for Shane and in the end followed her heart. I just hope she continues on that path.
Lastly, there is Evan. For me, Evan was just ok. Not that I didn't like her, but I felt a bit indifferent to her character. However, I do see the significance of having her be a part of the series. She's the only one of these girls that doesn't come from a political family. She's at the school on a scholarship. She was best friends with Ellie until Brinley got in between them. But, their relationship is slightly turning around, but not without drama.
As for the boys, I'd have to say that Gabe is my favorite. He's honest, sweet, and sexy! I really liked Shane too, but he's only in the season briefly, so I'm hoping to get to know him better in the next season. I did like Brooks too. He's Brinley's brother and he has a thing for Taryn. He comes across a bit uptight, but I liked how he was with Taryn. I think she'll be good for him. Hunter was sweet too.
Overall, I really liked it. I'm interested in continuing with the series, because I'm curious to see what will happen. Books about privates schools/academies always fascinate me a bit. I grew up in a small town, so in some ways it was like going to a private school, but the pressures these kids face and the image they have to uphold is intense! If you like series like Gossip Girl and Pretty Little Liars, you'd likely be a fan of this series. It's fun, dramatic, and addicting!
June 24, 2013
*Originally reviewed on Pages Of Forbidden Love
Georgetown Academy was a totally addicting dramafest. Following Ellie, Brinley, Taryn, and Evan was anything but boring as they tried to navigate the complicated system of living in a political environment. A little drama is unavoidable in life but for these four one wrong move can blow up into a huge media frenzy with the potential to greatly affect those close to them. It's hard enough maintaining your reputation when someone is keeping an eye on you so closely but when you live in the world they do it isn't just your reputation on the line. Anything Brinley, Ellie, and Taryn do can affect their parents political future. It's sad but true. These girls have way too much pressure put on them to be perfect. What they wear, what they do, and who they do it with is greatly scrutinized. Its not new news. They already know their roles and how they must play out but that doesn't mean it is always easy. The girls struggle with keeping things under their control, staying true to themselves, and wanting things they know they shouldn't want.
Each character is truly their own person in these books. They each have their own little quirks. Their is no mistaking who's who but they all have one thing in common, they live in a world that really knows how to blow things out of proportion. A world full of lies, secrets, deception, ass kissing and slandering. Nothing seems to stay mellow for very long in their lives and they are forced to sacrifice many things which was very sad. They should be able to just be teens with the "normal" everyday consequences of their mistakes but instead they are subjected to the brutal world of politics where someone is always looking for even one little thing that could defame their opponents. Of course it made for a great story but I just got so mad with what they had to go through. They had to sacrifice things they should have been able to have, keep secrets that should definitely not been kept, and even abandon their values. Err. It was obvious their parents cared about them but I think they still could have been more considerate of their children's feelings in spite of their political careers. Taryn's father had to be my favorite parent. From what I saw he had it together as a parent and politician.
If you're like me of course you want to know about the romance ;) Although I didn't fall head over heals for every potential couple I did pair who I wanted up in my mind and continued to root for them. You just know who needs to be together. You know who'll they will click with, make them better, or loosen them up. I myself was all about Gabe. Really couldn't get enough of his and Ellie's complicated relationship (one that shouldn't have been as complicated as it was but again politics strike again). All the main boys were pretty likeable but Gabe and Shane were my all time favorites. I want more of them!
I don't find politics particularly exciting but Georgetown Academy definitely piqued my interest with all its drama. The characters were really easy to love and hate. Even my favorites had me face palm a time or two with how complicated they had to make things. The "scandals" weren't crazy scandalous or unrealistic so I appreciated that. The romance although pushed into such a short time (each book wasn't very long) didn't seem forced and it was easy to root for certain couples to last. Georgetown Academy truly was an addicting and enjoyable read.
Georgetown Academy was a totally addicting dramafest. Following Ellie, Brinley, Taryn, and Evan was anything but boring as they tried to navigate the complicated system of living in a political environment. A little drama is unavoidable in life but for these four one wrong move can blow up into a huge media frenzy with the potential to greatly affect those close to them. It's hard enough maintaining your reputation when someone is keeping an eye on you so closely but when you live in the world they do it isn't just your reputation on the line. Anything Brinley, Ellie, and Taryn do can affect their parents political future. It's sad but true. These girls have way too much pressure put on them to be perfect. What they wear, what they do, and who they do it with is greatly scrutinized. Its not new news. They already know their roles and how they must play out but that doesn't mean it is always easy. The girls struggle with keeping things under their control, staying true to themselves, and wanting things they know they shouldn't want.
Each character is truly their own person in these books. They each have their own little quirks. Their is no mistaking who's who but they all have one thing in common, they live in a world that really knows how to blow things out of proportion. A world full of lies, secrets, deception, ass kissing and slandering. Nothing seems to stay mellow for very long in their lives and they are forced to sacrifice many things which was very sad. They should be able to just be teens with the "normal" everyday consequences of their mistakes but instead they are subjected to the brutal world of politics where someone is always looking for even one little thing that could defame their opponents. Of course it made for a great story but I just got so mad with what they had to go through. They had to sacrifice things they should have been able to have, keep secrets that should definitely not been kept, and even abandon their values. Err. It was obvious their parents cared about them but I think they still could have been more considerate of their children's feelings in spite of their political careers. Taryn's father had to be my favorite parent. From what I saw he had it together as a parent and politician.
If you're like me of course you want to know about the romance ;) Although I didn't fall head over heals for every potential couple I did pair who I wanted up in my mind and continued to root for them. You just know who needs to be together. You know who'll they will click with, make them better, or loosen them up. I myself was all about Gabe. Really couldn't get enough of his and Ellie's complicated relationship (one that shouldn't have been as complicated as it was but again politics strike again). All the main boys were pretty likeable but Gabe and Shane were my all time favorites. I want more of them!
I don't find politics particularly exciting but Georgetown Academy definitely piqued my interest with all its drama. The characters were really easy to love and hate. Even my favorites had me face palm a time or two with how complicated they had to make things. The "scandals" weren't crazy scandalous or unrealistic so I appreciated that. The romance although pushed into such a short time (each book wasn't very long) didn't seem forced and it was easy to root for certain couples to last. Georgetown Academy truly was an addicting and enjoyable read.
July 22, 2013
When I read the blurb for the Georgetown Academy Series, I was immediately intrigued. I have never been one to want to read novels centered are politics, but this sounded right up my alley and like something I would really enjoy, and enjoy it I did. The books feel like you are reading and television series, and if you are a fan of Gossip Girl and those type of shows, then the Georgetown Academy Series is a book along those lines. It centers around the lives of four different girls, Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn. All of the girls, with the exception of Evan, have families with a parent/parents that are involved in politics. They attend the Georgetown Academy, which is an elite private school in Washington DC for those whose parents are involved in the political arena in some way. The entire school revolves around politics, and the Washington DC politicians themselves have nothing on the things that their sons and daughters do and take part it. In fact, much of goes on with the students is far more scandalous that what their political parents are involved in.
Ellie is considered the sweetheart of the group, and dates the most popular boy in school, Hunter McKnight. They are considered the "golden couple" of the school, or the JFK and Jackie O, that is until Gabe Mills shows up at school, and two years seem like yesterday when Ellie sees him again. Brinley and her brother Brooks are part of the one of the most esteemed families in DC, the Madisons, and appearance, loyalty to family, and knowing how to play the political game are Brinley's specialties. Ellie and Brinley are best friends. Evan attends Georgetown Academy on a scholarship and is an aspiring up and coming reporter and the former best friend of Ellie and current best friend of Gabe and Luke, which is whole other story. Taryyn's father is the up and coming Hispanic politician that is said could be the first Hispanic President of the United States in the future. She isn't used to playing the political game, having moved from LA where the lives of the stars in Hollywood were much more newsworthy than that of a politician. She rocks her own style and does her own thing, and finds herself targeted by the reigning "Queen of the Academy," but Taryn has never been one to back down from a fight. Then there are the guys, the hot, swoon-worthy, awesome guys at Georgetown Academy that make you just was to sigh.
All of these students lives revolve around the lives of their politically involved parents in some way, shape, or form. Their every move reflects upon their parents, so their choices in who they date, what they do, and how they handle things are always in the limelight. From sex scandals, drug addiction and drug use, career destroying relationships, gay issues, everything and anything you can imagine takes place at Georgetown Academy. Your fashion sense, who you date and who you don't, who you are seen with and who you aren't, everything you do is scrutinized. Does that mean the students always do what they should? No, not by any means, the key being that when and if you do it, you just better not get caught, because if you do, the repercussions of the domino effect that are set in motion can destroy you and your family. Georgetown is a great series and I really enjoyed it. It has romance, drama, conspiracy, all politically themed and very entertaining. If you are looking for a fun series to follow, then Georgetown Academy is just that. Check it out.
Ellie is considered the sweetheart of the group, and dates the most popular boy in school, Hunter McKnight. They are considered the "golden couple" of the school, or the JFK and Jackie O, that is until Gabe Mills shows up at school, and two years seem like yesterday when Ellie sees him again. Brinley and her brother Brooks are part of the one of the most esteemed families in DC, the Madisons, and appearance, loyalty to family, and knowing how to play the political game are Brinley's specialties. Ellie and Brinley are best friends. Evan attends Georgetown Academy on a scholarship and is an aspiring up and coming reporter and the former best friend of Ellie and current best friend of Gabe and Luke, which is whole other story. Taryyn's father is the up and coming Hispanic politician that is said could be the first Hispanic President of the United States in the future. She isn't used to playing the political game, having moved from LA where the lives of the stars in Hollywood were much more newsworthy than that of a politician. She rocks her own style and does her own thing, and finds herself targeted by the reigning "Queen of the Academy," but Taryn has never been one to back down from a fight. Then there are the guys, the hot, swoon-worthy, awesome guys at Georgetown Academy that make you just was to sigh.
All of these students lives revolve around the lives of their politically involved parents in some way, shape, or form. Their every move reflects upon their parents, so their choices in who they date, what they do, and how they handle things are always in the limelight. From sex scandals, drug addiction and drug use, career destroying relationships, gay issues, everything and anything you can imagine takes place at Georgetown Academy. Your fashion sense, who you date and who you don't, who you are seen with and who you aren't, everything you do is scrutinized. Does that mean the students always do what they should? No, not by any means, the key being that when and if you do it, you just better not get caught, because if you do, the repercussions of the domino effect that are set in motion can destroy you and your family. Georgetown is a great series and I really enjoyed it. It has romance, drama, conspiracy, all politically themed and very entertaining. If you are looking for a fun series to follow, then Georgetown Academy is just that. Check it out.
June 18, 2013
The Georgetown Academy series by Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz is a drama filled journey through the lives of four girls who live in Washington D.C. The politics of high school are nothing compared to the politics of Georgetown Academy, mostly because these kids are dealing with real politicians! I mean, getting through high school is hard enough without the added pressure of media scrutiny, trying to avoid scandals, and knowing one wrong move could end your parent's political career.
Now, Brinely, Ellie, Taryn and Evan are awesome character all in their own right, but when you add in the boys of GA! Swoon! It's no secret Brooks had been my favorite GA boy ever since that very first glimpse of him in Book One, and my opinion of him is only growing with every book! Gabe is the sensitive bad boy type who's dad has put him in a precarious situation with the girl he likes. You can't help but root for him! And Hunter is the golden boy sweetheart that every girl crushes on, but only one lucky girl gets to call her's. Who doesn't like a loyal, hard working guy who would do anything to make the girl he likes happy?
I really love the fact that in each of the books there is a big event that all of the girls go to and you get to experience it through each of their POVs. It's interactive reading! Technically you don't need to "follow" each of the girls through their event chapter to understand the story, but I always love reading those chapters. The way the characters interact with each other is so much fun. You get to see bits and pieces of what happens through the other girls eyes, but it's not until you've read all the POVs that you really get the whole picture of things. You get to see the way every character has an effect on everyone else throughout the night. Those are always my favorite part to every book in this series!
This is one of those series I wish was a TV show on ABC Family or something just so I could see all of the amazing clothes the characters wear (and who am I kidding, I want to see Brooks too)! But the details about the clothes, or brand dropping, isn't overdone like in some books. It's the way these kids see the world around them. Judging based on brand and price. It's really telling of some of the characters. Brinley has nothing but the best and judges others for wearing anything but classic styles, whereas Taryn knows all the trendy brands and shops. But then you have Evan who isn't rich and can't afford to shop in the same sort of places. Throughout the course of the first season she goes from not noticing brands at all (much like Ellie) to looking at them with almost jealousy. I like that the way the characters dress directly relates to their character growth and social circles because I remember high school, and there were times when what you wore determined where you fit in and how you felt about yourself.
Georgetown Academy is a fun, addictive series and you'll be glad you got the Season One bundle after you race through the first book. From the drama to the romance (oh, the romance!), these books will keep you reading late into the night. Four books for the price of one? Who doesn't love a deal like that!
Now, Brinely, Ellie, Taryn and Evan are awesome character all in their own right, but when you add in the boys of GA! Swoon! It's no secret Brooks had been my favorite GA boy ever since that very first glimpse of him in Book One, and my opinion of him is only growing with every book! Gabe is the sensitive bad boy type who's dad has put him in a precarious situation with the girl he likes. You can't help but root for him! And Hunter is the golden boy sweetheart that every girl crushes on, but only one lucky girl gets to call her's. Who doesn't like a loyal, hard working guy who would do anything to make the girl he likes happy?
I really love the fact that in each of the books there is a big event that all of the girls go to and you get to experience it through each of their POVs. It's interactive reading! Technically you don't need to "follow" each of the girls through their event chapter to understand the story, but I always love reading those chapters. The way the characters interact with each other is so much fun. You get to see bits and pieces of what happens through the other girls eyes, but it's not until you've read all the POVs that you really get the whole picture of things. You get to see the way every character has an effect on everyone else throughout the night. Those are always my favorite part to every book in this series!
This is one of those series I wish was a TV show on ABC Family or something just so I could see all of the amazing clothes the characters wear (and who am I kidding, I want to see Brooks too)! But the details about the clothes, or brand dropping, isn't overdone like in some books. It's the way these kids see the world around them. Judging based on brand and price. It's really telling of some of the characters. Brinley has nothing but the best and judges others for wearing anything but classic styles, whereas Taryn knows all the trendy brands and shops. But then you have Evan who isn't rich and can't afford to shop in the same sort of places. Throughout the course of the first season she goes from not noticing brands at all (much like Ellie) to looking at them with almost jealousy. I like that the way the characters dress directly relates to their character growth and social circles because I remember high school, and there were times when what you wore determined where you fit in and how you felt about yourself.
Georgetown Academy is a fun, addictive series and you'll be glad you got the Season One bundle after you race through the first book. From the drama to the romance (oh, the romance!), these books will keep you reading late into the night. Four books for the price of one? Who doesn't love a deal like that!
June 20, 2013
This was a tough book to rate! One the one hand, the writing is great, the characters are completely believable, and there is no shortage of drama. On the other hand, I felt like I was missing out on a lot of the inside jokes (which may or may not have been clever) and minute details which probably made this book magical for some readers. So how am I different from other readers? Well, for one, I'm Canadian! This means that I haven't had American politics taught to me in school, and I haven't had to worry about who to vote for in the presidential elections. Lines like "He had written her off like a bottom ninety-nine percenter at a Republican fundraiser" made me go HUH? And then they went and said hockey was "unpatriotically Canadian". Yeah. And what's your point? ;)
I don't doubt for a second that schools like this exist. Where children are getting swept up in their parents public personae. I was struck by how the girls repeatedly put their own wants and needs aside for the benefit of their parents. It's actually quite sad, when you think about it. Everyone deserves a childhood, and it feels like they're getting cheated out of theirs. But this just makes the whole thing more dramatic. Teens being forced into very mature, adult situations, and each one of them takes a different approach in how they deal with it.
My favorite part of this book is that the female characters are great role models. Yes, they make mistakes left, right and center, BUT they also show that women can be powerful. Every little girl who dreams big, should read this book. Women can do more than just look pretty; although maybe I should point out that fashion does play a huge part in the book. I know designers like I know American politics: not at all. It's a good thing I have a good imagination.
While each book could feasibly be read on its own, I would definitely recommend the whole package. The beginning of each book does rehash a little of what's going on with the overall plot, so that readers can pick up any of the books and follow along. But then you miss out on the great character development and chemistry.
What's that? You're too busy to read four books?! Well, then it's a good thing that you can pick the length of the books! This may sound confusing, and maybe a little cheezy, but I really loved the 80s throwback! Did anyone else read Choose Your Own Adventure books? While you can't change the outcome of the plot, you can choose which character to follow through the important scenes.
Or you can do what I did, and read ALL of them!
A copy of this book was provided by Coliloquy in exchange for an honest review.
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I don't doubt for a second that schools like this exist. Where children are getting swept up in their parents public personae. I was struck by how the girls repeatedly put their own wants and needs aside for the benefit of their parents. It's actually quite sad, when you think about it. Everyone deserves a childhood, and it feels like they're getting cheated out of theirs. But this just makes the whole thing more dramatic. Teens being forced into very mature, adult situations, and each one of them takes a different approach in how they deal with it.
My favorite part of this book is that the female characters are great role models. Yes, they make mistakes left, right and center, BUT they also show that women can be powerful. Every little girl who dreams big, should read this book. Women can do more than just look pretty; although maybe I should point out that fashion does play a huge part in the book. I know designers like I know American politics: not at all. It's a good thing I have a good imagination.
While each book could feasibly be read on its own, I would definitely recommend the whole package. The beginning of each book does rehash a little of what's going on with the overall plot, so that readers can pick up any of the books and follow along. But then you miss out on the great character development and chemistry.
What's that? You're too busy to read four books?! Well, then it's a good thing that you can pick the length of the books! This may sound confusing, and maybe a little cheezy, but I really loved the 80s throwback! Did anyone else read Choose Your Own Adventure books? While you can't change the outcome of the plot, you can choose which character to follow through the important scenes.
Or you can do what I did, and read ALL of them!
A copy of this book was provided by Coliloquy in exchange for an honest review.
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June 19, 2013
I heard about the first 'Georgetown Academy' book when it was released, but based on the description it just didn’t seem like the type of story I would enjoy. But then I kept reading positive reviews, so when a chance to review Season 1 came about, I decided to take a chance. I’m glad I did, because while these books are full of drama, backstabbing, pettiness, and gossip, I found myself having a great time reading them. I think what I appreciated is that the books aren’t actually shallow. Some shallow pursuits may be discussed, but the emotions and characters are very real.
At first the large cast of characters was a bit confusing, but because of their distinct personalities I was able to sort out who was who fairly quickly. I loved reading about the characters and how they all related to one another. Some people have complicated histories, some are exes who remain friends, and some are awkward around each other. You also have friendships starting again, couples who are adorable, couples who are more steamy, and even some couples that you wouldn't see working and yet they do.
I think what intrigued me the most about these stories was the political aspect. All these teens have parents who are high up in government in one way or another, which means that they’re in the spotlight and there are big consequences for little things. Most of us wouldn’t think twice about kissing a guy we like, but what happens when that guy is the son of your mother's political rival? Or what about worrying about other people using you for your parents connections? I loved all these themes, and it made for some pretty high stakes decisions in the books.
The books of 'Georgetown Academy' are mostly a linear story like any other novel, but each book also has at least a couple “choose your own adventure” type moments. These happen when all of the girls are at the same place or moment in time, and you as a reader can choose which girl to follow through a particular scene (personally I liked to read about Evan, the "average" outsider). After that you can continue on with the story, or you can go back and read from all the other POVs as well.
This series was a nice surprise for me. It was light and fun, with some added drama to mix things up. I liked how each volume was relatively short, making the books quick and easy to read. I’m glad I took a chance and read these books, and I look forward to seeing what will happen next at Georgetown Academy.
At first the large cast of characters was a bit confusing, but because of their distinct personalities I was able to sort out who was who fairly quickly. I loved reading about the characters and how they all related to one another. Some people have complicated histories, some are exes who remain friends, and some are awkward around each other. You also have friendships starting again, couples who are adorable, couples who are more steamy, and even some couples that you wouldn't see working and yet they do.
I think what intrigued me the most about these stories was the political aspect. All these teens have parents who are high up in government in one way or another, which means that they’re in the spotlight and there are big consequences for little things. Most of us wouldn’t think twice about kissing a guy we like, but what happens when that guy is the son of your mother's political rival? Or what about worrying about other people using you for your parents connections? I loved all these themes, and it made for some pretty high stakes decisions in the books.
The books of 'Georgetown Academy' are mostly a linear story like any other novel, but each book also has at least a couple “choose your own adventure” type moments. These happen when all of the girls are at the same place or moment in time, and you as a reader can choose which girl to follow through a particular scene (personally I liked to read about Evan, the "average" outsider). After that you can continue on with the story, or you can go back and read from all the other POVs as well.
This series was a nice surprise for me. It was light and fun, with some added drama to mix things up. I liked how each volume was relatively short, making the books quick and easy to read. I’m glad I took a chance and read these books, and I look forward to seeing what will happen next at Georgetown Academy.
June 11, 2013
I was fortunate enough to get a copy of GEORGETOWN ACADEMY, Season One, through a R4R on Goodreads and considering that I had never read any books in the series before I started, and then read them all in two days, I’d say that the authors, Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz are two extremely talented writers.
Being a teen during the age of social media would be hard enough, but knowing that your every move and mistake could affect your parents’ careers would make me consider home-schooling, but that’s just how life is for these gals. The more surprising part was that certain characters actually seemed to thrive on it! Crazy! But as stressful as it was for the characters, when it was their turn to go off-course, the pressure and anxiety made for fantastic reading. The authors did a remarkable job of making American politics accessible, which I appreciated as I’m Canadian, so although I didn't understand *everything*, it was enough for me to follow the story.
All four of the main characters: Ellie, Evan, Brinley, and Taryn are engaging, accessible, and bursting with individuality but they also had one thing in common: fierce loyalty to family. It was an interesting dynamic, because being loyal to their families, often to a fault, meant being disloyal to friendships (or even their own desires) but since I knew where they were coming from, it made it easier for me to understand a character's decisions, even if I didn't agree with them. That emphasis on loyalty really kept things emotionally authentic, in my opinion, which stopped the drama from being over-the-top, no matter just how crazy it got (and rest assured, it gets cray-zay). I also loved the adventure-style options that happened about two-thirds of the way through each book. Being able to choose what character to follow was SUPER fun, even if I ended up reading all four POVs because I didn’t want to miss a single drama-infused moment. Ha!
So, if you like intense high-school drama that’s laced with American politics, then the GEORGETOWN ACADEMY series is for you! And trust me, you should just buy Season One instead of individual books because once you get a taste, you're going to want to gorge yourself on the whole four-course meal. Just make sure to wear a bib, though, because it's juicy, people. Haha!
Being a teen during the age of social media would be hard enough, but knowing that your every move and mistake could affect your parents’ careers would make me consider home-schooling, but that’s just how life is for these gals. The more surprising part was that certain characters actually seemed to thrive on it! Crazy! But as stressful as it was for the characters, when it was their turn to go off-course, the pressure and anxiety made for fantastic reading. The authors did a remarkable job of making American politics accessible, which I appreciated as I’m Canadian, so although I didn't understand *everything*, it was enough for me to follow the story.
All four of the main characters: Ellie, Evan, Brinley, and Taryn are engaging, accessible, and bursting with individuality but they also had one thing in common: fierce loyalty to family. It was an interesting dynamic, because being loyal to their families, often to a fault, meant being disloyal to friendships (or even their own desires) but since I knew where they were coming from, it made it easier for me to understand a character's decisions, even if I didn't agree with them. That emphasis on loyalty really kept things emotionally authentic, in my opinion, which stopped the drama from being over-the-top, no matter just how crazy it got (and rest assured, it gets cray-zay). I also loved the adventure-style options that happened about two-thirds of the way through each book. Being able to choose what character to follow was SUPER fun, even if I ended up reading all four POVs because I didn’t want to miss a single drama-infused moment. Ha!
So, if you like intense high-school drama that’s laced with American politics, then the GEORGETOWN ACADEMY series is for you! And trust me, you should just buy Season One instead of individual books because once you get a taste, you're going to want to gorge yourself on the whole four-course meal. Just make sure to wear a bib, though, because it's juicy, people. Haha!
June 10, 2013
Are you a Georgetown fan? Love novels about the drama of high school with the intrigue of the political arena? Getting ALL FOUR books in the Georgetown Series in ONE PLACE will be like asking for a new bike for Christmas and getting a car! Okay, maybe not quite that good, but almost!
Being able to go from the world of book one right on through WITHOUT having to wait to buy the next one is HUGE! No re-reading the last chapter of the previous book to refresh your mind! Watching and living the lives of the main characters as they traverse the often ugly world of high school in the fishbowl of Washington, D. C., while watching them manipulate the system like puppets of their parents, learn from their mistakes, and then grow into becoming their own person in the time capsule created by each book is a treat!
Events revolve around four main characters:
Brinley Madison, descendent of a U. S. President, leader of the pack, social snob
Ellie Walker, Brinley’s best friend, who has been dating the same guy for two years
Evan Hartnett, the shy, studious outcast, once Ellie’s best friend
Taryn Reyes, GA newcomer, with a California style and attitude
These four girls are polar opposites in personality and it often shows in the interactions they have. Alliances are formed and re-formed, scandals are created, scandals are covered up, love finds new boundaries and the cast of characters are intense, some come and go, some are always in the mix, some you wish you knew personally. Want to be a hero to a Georgetown fan? Here’s the perfect chance-all four books in one big bundle!
Expected Publication Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Coliloquy, LLC
Series: Georgetown Academy
ISBN: 9781937804251
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
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Being able to go from the world of book one right on through WITHOUT having to wait to buy the next one is HUGE! No re-reading the last chapter of the previous book to refresh your mind! Watching and living the lives of the main characters as they traverse the often ugly world of high school in the fishbowl of Washington, D. C., while watching them manipulate the system like puppets of their parents, learn from their mistakes, and then grow into becoming their own person in the time capsule created by each book is a treat!
Events revolve around four main characters:
Brinley Madison, descendent of a U. S. President, leader of the pack, social snob
Ellie Walker, Brinley’s best friend, who has been dating the same guy for two years
Evan Hartnett, the shy, studious outcast, once Ellie’s best friend
Taryn Reyes, GA newcomer, with a California style and attitude
These four girls are polar opposites in personality and it often shows in the interactions they have. Alliances are formed and re-formed, scandals are created, scandals are covered up, love finds new boundaries and the cast of characters are intense, some come and go, some are always in the mix, some you wish you knew personally. Want to be a hero to a Georgetown fan? Here’s the perfect chance-all four books in one big bundle!
Expected Publication Date: June 11, 2013
Publisher: Coliloquy, LLC
Series: Georgetown Academy
ISBN: 9781937804251
For more reviews check out Tome Tender's Book Blog or find us on Facebook.
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June 14, 2013
For anyone who has not already caught on to Georgetown Academy series this is the perfect way to get all four books in one. As I already had read & LOVED the three previous books and I was excited yet worried about the fourth installment... how could Book Four live up to the previous three installments? But the GTA authors did not disappoint me! In fact I would have to say that Book Four was my favorite! More scandalous drama, more twists & turns, more intrigue and more fun--- this excitingly addictive series just gets better and better.
The story is so well written and so descriptive that you feel like you are watching a movie in your head. The four main characters are Ellie, Brinley, Evan and Taryn and each have their own strong yet distinctly different personalities. I love the fact that the series takes place in DC and that their lives and issues revolve around the political world – a world I must admit I was never that interested in. But after reading the GTA series, I have noticed I am now more aware of what is happening in the real life political world.
I can honestly say that this is one of the best YA series I have read. I have recommended the 3 previous books to all my friends and they also have come away huge fans. Now Book Four gets my same FIVE STAR recommendation. Can’t wait to see what comes next…Book Five please, NOW!
The story is so well written and so descriptive that you feel like you are watching a movie in your head. The four main characters are Ellie, Brinley, Evan and Taryn and each have their own strong yet distinctly different personalities. I love the fact that the series takes place in DC and that their lives and issues revolve around the political world – a world I must admit I was never that interested in. But after reading the GTA series, I have noticed I am now more aware of what is happening in the real life political world.
I can honestly say that this is one of the best YA series I have read. I have recommended the 3 previous books to all my friends and they also have come away huge fans. Now Book Four gets my same FIVE STAR recommendation. Can’t wait to see what comes next…Book Five please, NOW!
June 15, 2013
I am beyond thrilled that Coliloquy has decided to put together Season One. The four individual books are each well done, that having them all together in one convenient eBook makes the series that much more addictive!
Love politics? Well this book is for you as it delves into politics from those who live it both from the public perception and from behind the scenes. BUT politics is not the only thing that is in this book! Readers who appreciate drama, friendships, relationships, mystery, intrigue, humor, moments of success and failure will find something in Season One. Because the authors are screenwriters as well, the books lend themselves to those who are fans of popular shows such as Gossip Girl, 90210, Pretty Little Liars and Secret Life of an American Teenager (just to name a few), as the situations and details presented in the book are so vivid, you will feel like you are reading a television show.
This is a perfect book to take with you to the beach, get loss in after a hectic day of work, school, on a commute or just because you want to have a great time reading. You won’t be sorry—pick up Georgetown Academy Season One today for a delightful and entertaining time.
Visit Love.Life.Read for more of my reviews.
Love politics? Well this book is for you as it delves into politics from those who live it both from the public perception and from behind the scenes. BUT politics is not the only thing that is in this book! Readers who appreciate drama, friendships, relationships, mystery, intrigue, humor, moments of success and failure will find something in Season One. Because the authors are screenwriters as well, the books lend themselves to those who are fans of popular shows such as Gossip Girl, 90210, Pretty Little Liars and Secret Life of an American Teenager (just to name a few), as the situations and details presented in the book are so vivid, you will feel like you are reading a television show.
This is a perfect book to take with you to the beach, get loss in after a hectic day of work, school, on a commute or just because you want to have a great time reading. You won’t be sorry—pick up Georgetown Academy Season One today for a delightful and entertaining time.
Visit Love.Life.Read for more of my reviews.
July 30, 2013
I would like to point out that politically infused fiction I would generally stay away from but this series had me quite intrigued. Seeing the world through the eyes of the offspring of political leaders was very entertaining. Celebrity type drama with an array of delectable characters. The pressures of living in the public eye and the fine line between choosing what's right and what's popular is ever present. These characters go through many trials and learn from their mistakes. They carry a burden due to their high profile parents but along the way learn to balance their lives with confidence and dignity. A few details were predictable and repetitious but did not hinder the enjoyable aspects of this story. For those who enjoy young adult sagas this is a great choice! I look forward to season two!
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
I received a copy in exchange for my honest review.
June 20, 2013
Well, since this series will be released about every 6 months, it doesn't seem too long to wait, but I really am glad I had a chance to read them all in one sitting. They are that good. The biggest problem that I had was now is that I won't see another installment until next January. SIGH. The character development in this series is just spectacular. Each character becomes deeper and with the chance to read their point of view with the interactive portion of each ebook. I admit that I had to obsessively read each one just to make sure I didn't miss a thing. Parents: this series is best suite for teens since there is language, drug and alcohol use, sexual situations much like any decent teen show on the CW and you will find yourself sneaking them away from your kids.
June 16, 2013
I am a HUGE Georgetown Academy fan so when I saw that Coliloquy was coming out with a bundle set, I couldn't wait to get SEASON ONE and read it all over again!
Georgetown Academy takes us into the lives of four High School girls: Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn who all attend the most elite private school in D.C. Then of course there are the guys, but you will have to read it yourself to find out why everyone swooning over BROOKS!!
5 STARS, 2 Thumbs Up... however you want to put it, this series is awesome! Now the waiting (for the next season) begins!
Georgetown Academy takes us into the lives of four High School girls: Ellie, Brinley, Evan, and Taryn who all attend the most elite private school in D.C. Then of course there are the guys, but you will have to read it yourself to find out why everyone swooning over BROOKS!!
5 STARS, 2 Thumbs Up... however you want to put it, this series is awesome! Now the waiting (for the next season) begins!
June 16, 2013
Season One of Georgetown Academy is four books in one. If I broke the books into four sections as far as rating I would be giving them different ratings because some stories I enjoyed more than others. My favorite book was three and my least favorite book was four. I liked that all the books were based on a group of kids at a private school in Washington DC. My favorite girl to follow was Ellie. My least favorite was Brinley or Taryn. I really don't like how much Taryn changed for the course of making very unlikable choices instead of being true to herself like she was in the beginning.
June 23, 2013
Che dire? Questa serie di romanzi mi è piaciuta tantissimo. Dalla lingua fresca e frizzante, che ha messo alla prova il mio inglese potenziando il mio dizionario di slang, al coinvolgimento emotivo di una narrazione coinvolgente, incalzante, mai noiosa, ha rubato parecchie ore al mio sonnellino pomeridiano, ma ne è valsa la pena.
August 11, 2013
Though sometimes I was ready to strangle some characters (like Ellie and Gabe) because of their repetitive stupidity, in general I loved the book. Excellent choice for all the fans of elite school genre.
June 8, 2013
love this series! this new 4 novel bundle is a great way to get into the series. if you're a fan of gossip girl, the west wing and/or scandal this is the perfect series for you.
July 22, 2013
Review to come soon...
*Won through the Goodreads First Reads program*
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