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Tales From My Closet
Five girls. A paper dress. Tons of shoes. One unforgettable raincoat. White Jeans. Secrets. Drama. Friends?
For Justine, Bianca, Becka, Polly, and Anne, living in Westfield, New Jersey is "life on planet toilet paper." At least that's how Justine feels when she shows up as the new girl in school wearing a Scott Paper Caper dress. To her, it's a super-original fashion statement. But other "loser freaks" don't agree.
The other girls have their own fashion issues, ranging from fabulous boots to raggedy pajamas to what to wear to therapy. Told in alternating voices, TALES FROM MY CLOSET follows the stories of high school kids who have nothing in common--and everything in common. They're at war with each other, but through their clothes, they reveal and conceal themselves and make peace with what it means to be a teen. Over the course of a school year, their individual struggles and successes come together to tell a story that's funny, honest, and all-girl fabulous.
For Justine, Bianca, Becka, Polly, and Anne, living in Westfield, New Jersey is "life on planet toilet paper." At least that's how Justine feels when she shows up as the new girl in school wearing a Scott Paper Caper dress. To her, it's a super-original fashion statement. But other "loser freaks" don't agree.
The other girls have their own fashion issues, ranging from fabulous boots to raggedy pajamas to what to wear to therapy. Told in alternating voices, TALES FROM MY CLOSET follows the stories of high school kids who have nothing in common--and everything in common. They're at war with each other, but through their clothes, they reveal and conceal themselves and make peace with what it means to be a teen. Over the course of a school year, their individual struggles and successes come together to tell a story that's funny, honest, and all-girl fabulous.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 28, 2014
25 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 58 reviews
November 25, 2023
In Tales from My Closet, Ms. Moses so aptly captures the venom that spews from the mouths of teens, that I find myself fantasizing about a trip back in time to punch Teen-Aged Me in the face and to hug my mom very tightly. The unlikely union of five teen-age fashionistas, each experiencing unrelated, yet equally concerning issues at home, immediately pulled me into the fascinating, eerily familiar tales.
Uniquely unapologetic, the unabashed, free-flung, nastiness of Spoiled-Rich-Fashionista feels down-right insulting. And also, terribly sad and desperate. Vintage-Fashionista, the initial and most frequent narrator, is the quintessential-know-it-all-dramatically-impatient-daughter that I was. And, of course, all of my girlfriends were.
Fabulous-in-Lingerie brings a harsh, yet crucial reminder that even if it seems like a person’s problems are frivolous, there could be more behind the scenes. Ann, Fantastic-in-Fifties, reluctantly realizes that moms were daughters once, too and that moms, grandmas, and “perfect” sisters make mistakes and have secrets. Huge Smile All-Varsity Girl rounds out the cast, providing a perfect example of things not being at all as they appear.
Fabulously, each fashionista presents her own version of the tumultuous year together. This enriches the story as it provides not only a deeper and more thorough understanding of each character; but also because the reader “sees” more about the family unit and the individual parents and siblings.
I believe Tales provides a rare and welcome opportunity for a Mom and her Daughter(s) to read the same book, at the same time. Not just because it packs a powerful punch, but because it is also bitingly witty, sweet, funny and captivating.
“I tried not to hold his hyper-funk-nihilist-grunge-gender-blended-macho look against him…..”
“Of course she’s lonely: She’s a freak! No one wants to be friends with her, not just me.”
“….saw you looking so punk-cool-fifties-awesome-fab, I’d be so blinded by your sublime radiance of fabulosity that I’d get on the next train back to college!”
“…how can Robot Girl erase someone as out-there and funktabulous as you are?”
“…but he was famous for looking like a person who was planning to grow up to be a drug addict, or maybe a serial killer.”
NEW WORDS!
“funktabulous”
“fabulosity”
This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog.
Uniquely unapologetic, the unabashed, free-flung, nastiness of Spoiled-Rich-Fashionista feels down-right insulting. And also, terribly sad and desperate. Vintage-Fashionista, the initial and most frequent narrator, is the quintessential-know-it-all-dramatically-impatient-daughter that I was. And, of course, all of my girlfriends were.
Fabulous-in-Lingerie brings a harsh, yet crucial reminder that even if it seems like a person’s problems are frivolous, there could be more behind the scenes. Ann, Fantastic-in-Fifties, reluctantly realizes that moms were daughters once, too and that moms, grandmas, and “perfect” sisters make mistakes and have secrets. Huge Smile All-Varsity Girl rounds out the cast, providing a perfect example of things not being at all as they appear.
Fabulously, each fashionista presents her own version of the tumultuous year together. This enriches the story as it provides not only a deeper and more thorough understanding of each character; but also because the reader “sees” more about the family unit and the individual parents and siblings.
I believe Tales provides a rare and welcome opportunity for a Mom and her Daughter(s) to read the same book, at the same time. Not just because it packs a powerful punch, but because it is also bitingly witty, sweet, funny and captivating.
“I tried not to hold his hyper-funk-nihilist-grunge-gender-blended-macho look against him…..”
“Of course she’s lonely: She’s a freak! No one wants to be friends with her, not just me.”
“….saw you looking so punk-cool-fifties-awesome-fab, I’d be so blinded by your sublime radiance of fabulosity that I’d get on the next train back to college!”
“…how can Robot Girl erase someone as out-there and funktabulous as you are?”
“…but he was famous for looking like a person who was planning to grow up to be a drug addict, or maybe a serial killer.”
NEW WORDS!
“funktabulous”
“fabulosity”
This review was written for Buried Under Books Blog.
December 30, 2015
Tales From My Closet
By: Jenneifer Ann Moses
Summary:
Told from the perspective of 5 different high school girls (Justine, Becka, Ann, Robin and Polly) who love fashion and just can't get enough.
Justine: The new kid in town. She comes to school in an original paper dress on the first day and the "popular" girls don't approve.
Becka: LOVES Paris, France. After meeting Arnaud (her secret boyfriend), she can't wait to go back. Her mother, Meryl, is a psychologist and,to Becka's dismay, is the basis of all of Meryl's books.
Ann: The sweet black girl who has a big mouth and A LOT to say with an uptight mother. An uptight mother with an opposition to her dreams of being an artist.
Robin: Becka's best friend. According to her mother, Robin is a shopaholic and a fashion addict.
Polly: The talented swimmer with a crush on her coach, Coach Fruit.
This book was amazing!!! It did, in fact, quench my thirst for fashion. The characters were perfect and wonderful!!!
Rating: 5/5
Favorite Character: Ann. She is the most like me and I envy her fashion and artistic senses.
By: Jenneifer Ann Moses
Summary:
Told from the perspective of 5 different high school girls (Justine, Becka, Ann, Robin and Polly) who love fashion and just can't get enough.
Justine: The new kid in town. She comes to school in an original paper dress on the first day and the "popular" girls don't approve.
Becka: LOVES Paris, France. After meeting Arnaud (her secret boyfriend), she can't wait to go back. Her mother, Meryl, is a psychologist and,to Becka's dismay, is the basis of all of Meryl's books.
Ann: The sweet black girl who has a big mouth and A LOT to say with an uptight mother. An uptight mother with an opposition to her dreams of being an artist.
Robin: Becka's best friend. According to her mother, Robin is a shopaholic and a fashion addict.
Polly: The talented swimmer with a crush on her coach, Coach Fruit.
This book was amazing!!! It did, in fact, quench my thirst for fashion. The characters were perfect and wonderful!!!
Rating: 5/5
Favorite Character: Ann. She is the most like me and I envy her fashion and artistic senses.
June 1, 2014
Justine's fashion sense keeps her on keel. She needs it because her family has just moved again, this time to New Jersey. It's dogged hot, all the kids her age, she's fifteen, are at the beach it seems and her best friend is back in San Francisco. Her forced meeting with Becka, the elegant, but snooty girl living across the street, is an epic disaster, leaving Justine tongue tied, but determined to make a fashion statement with her antique paper dress on the first day of school.
As other kids encounter her that day, their reactions are varied, from cool to ugh! But Justine's so unnerved by her perception that nobody likes her, or the dress, she comes home and shreds it. We are introduced in depth to four other girls she meets that first day in alternating chapters. Becka whose mother is a therapist and has been writing teen oriented psychology books while using her daughter as the supposedly anonymous subject. Ann, who's very small and hates being compared to her 'robotgirl' older sister, but can't tell her mom she's in love with art, because she's supposed to become a lawyer or something similar. Robyn, Becka's best friend, who loves fashion, but has a mother who thinks she's a shopping addict and a law professor dad who is an untreated alcoholic and Polly, daughter of a single mom, because her father supposedly abandoned the family when she was little. Polly's a sweetie and an excellent swimmer who obsesses about what she thinks is an oversized butt that makes it impossible to look good in any outfit.
Told in alternating chapters related to what they wear, what's in their closets and how they gradually become drawn into their own collective universe, sometimes gracefully, often painfully, this is a smart, sometimes funny, very emotional book. It's about family secrets, self-image, teen angst and, ultimately, about how we're a lot more alike than different when we let ourselves really be seen. Both mature tweens and teens, particularly those with a love of fashion or with unspoken family issues will really like this book.
As other kids encounter her that day, their reactions are varied, from cool to ugh! But Justine's so unnerved by her perception that nobody likes her, or the dress, she comes home and shreds it. We are introduced in depth to four other girls she meets that first day in alternating chapters. Becka whose mother is a therapist and has been writing teen oriented psychology books while using her daughter as the supposedly anonymous subject. Ann, who's very small and hates being compared to her 'robotgirl' older sister, but can't tell her mom she's in love with art, because she's supposed to become a lawyer or something similar. Robyn, Becka's best friend, who loves fashion, but has a mother who thinks she's a shopping addict and a law professor dad who is an untreated alcoholic and Polly, daughter of a single mom, because her father supposedly abandoned the family when she was little. Polly's a sweetie and an excellent swimmer who obsesses about what she thinks is an oversized butt that makes it impossible to look good in any outfit.
Told in alternating chapters related to what they wear, what's in their closets and how they gradually become drawn into their own collective universe, sometimes gracefully, often painfully, this is a smart, sometimes funny, very emotional book. It's about family secrets, self-image, teen angst and, ultimately, about how we're a lot more alike than different when we let ourselves really be seen. Both mature tweens and teens, particularly those with a love of fashion or with unspoken family issues will really like this book.
June 26, 2015
3.5 stars!!
September 16, 2017
I loved it. When I saw the book I knew I had to read it. I loved the characters and the narrations and the points of view. I wis it was longer and/or had a sequel to it. Very good book.
September 17, 2020
Wanted something light and fun to read as I wait on my DC Public library holds LOL..And found this one missing a cover page and only a pink hardcover..I decided not to discriminate and push through to see if its worth keeping.
This one goes into the lives of five girls and starts off introducing
Justine:
After Justine after moves to New Jersey with her family..and she has to meet new people starting with the girl next door who is her total opposite--
“I knew I couldn’t compete with Becka, and, like, why would I even try? She and I would never be friends. Even so, meeting Becka had one positive effect on me: I became more determined than ever not to be one of those kids who fade into the woodwork….In short it was crucial that I establish my own brand.” (Pg. 10)
So she decides to wear a vintage 1960s paper dress to school the first day to stand out early and be unforgettable-it works in the worst way possible and further isolates her as a weird fashion girl….SN: This book is all about fashion, from the styles, brands, shoes all that you definitely wish there were pictures to accompany all the looks described---
Becka
The next chapter goes into Becka’s life as a human experiment to be written about by her psychiatrist mother who never really feels fully seen or loved at home--which is why she spent her summer abroad in France with her secret twenty-year old boyfriend….even though she is only 15..(yikes)
Robin
We then meet Robin, one of Becka’s closest friends, a hopeless fashion addict who spends all she has and even some of her parents’ money on clothes which lands her in babysitting jobs she loathes and in a fashion internship that is unpaid but exactly what she wants….her job allows her to be around fashion all the time …...
Polly
An athletic swimmer who loves what her body can do in the water but not the bulky awkwardness of her butt out of the water..With her mother’s limited funds she struggles with her self confidence especially around her beautiful slim friends and tries to befriend Justine in her paper dress only to be redirected to her own body flaws...
Ann
The only black girl in the book who comes from a family that pressures and pushes her to be perfect just like her older sister despite what she wants even down to the outfits which she feels makes her really petite frame always look like she is twelve years old.
The five girls go through high school drama of crushes, betrayals, secrets, blogs and misunderstandings while also touching on serious issues of fathers hitting daughters, suicidal thoughts, infidelity, mature romance and lots of smart alecky girls disrespecting their mothers LOL..there are some great moments but ultimately a little too much for middle school and not really that interesting for high school LOL..we shall see where this one ends up but spent way too much time with it not be impressed by the fashion or the dialogue, plot or the girls themselves..What’s next :)
This one goes into the lives of five girls and starts off introducing
Justine:
After Justine after moves to New Jersey with her family..and she has to meet new people starting with the girl next door who is her total opposite--
“I knew I couldn’t compete with Becka, and, like, why would I even try? She and I would never be friends. Even so, meeting Becka had one positive effect on me: I became more determined than ever not to be one of those kids who fade into the woodwork….In short it was crucial that I establish my own brand.” (Pg. 10)
So she decides to wear a vintage 1960s paper dress to school the first day to stand out early and be unforgettable-it works in the worst way possible and further isolates her as a weird fashion girl….SN: This book is all about fashion, from the styles, brands, shoes all that you definitely wish there were pictures to accompany all the looks described---
Becka
The next chapter goes into Becka’s life as a human experiment to be written about by her psychiatrist mother who never really feels fully seen or loved at home--which is why she spent her summer abroad in France with her secret twenty-year old boyfriend….even though she is only 15..(yikes)
Robin
We then meet Robin, one of Becka’s closest friends, a hopeless fashion addict who spends all she has and even some of her parents’ money on clothes which lands her in babysitting jobs she loathes and in a fashion internship that is unpaid but exactly what she wants….her job allows her to be around fashion all the time …...
Polly
An athletic swimmer who loves what her body can do in the water but not the bulky awkwardness of her butt out of the water..With her mother’s limited funds she struggles with her self confidence especially around her beautiful slim friends and tries to befriend Justine in her paper dress only to be redirected to her own body flaws...
Ann
The only black girl in the book who comes from a family that pressures and pushes her to be perfect just like her older sister despite what she wants even down to the outfits which she feels makes her really petite frame always look like she is twelve years old.
The five girls go through high school drama of crushes, betrayals, secrets, blogs and misunderstandings while also touching on serious issues of fathers hitting daughters, suicidal thoughts, infidelity, mature romance and lots of smart alecky girls disrespecting their mothers LOL..there are some great moments but ultimately a little too much for middle school and not really that interesting for high school LOL..we shall see where this one ends up but spent way too much time with it not be impressed by the fashion or the dialogue, plot or the girls themselves..What’s next :)
June 13, 2017
Oh dear. I did so want to give the book 5 stars. It's wonderfully written, gets inside the teenage mind perfectly, actually acknowledges the existence of queer people, and deals with very adult issues. Why I downgraded it from a 4 to a 5? Well, first of all, the ending flopped. It was anticlimactic. The implied romance between "Weird John" and Justine comes across as forced. Also it could've been way gayer.
My favorite character was probably Robin, because I connect to her well. I connected to all characters well, but something about her speaks to me.
My favorite character was probably Robin, because I connect to her well. I connected to all characters well, but something about her speaks to me.
July 9, 2025
Yeah so I did NOT finish this. It was part of my “read to give to my little sister” project and I definitely don’t want her to read this. I got two chapters in and said nah. The second chapter one of the girls is talking about how she was dating a 20 year old that wanted to have sex. She’s fifteen. I didn’t really have a purpose to keep reading it after that. Also from what I saw ALL the girls were so mean. I can’t believe this book was available for me to purchase in my middle school book fair.
August 11, 2022
Five girls all different styles with a lot of family drama. I wanted it to be more about fashion and cute then drama packed. It was just too much, they packed too many issues into one book it was okay but I found it overwhelming. It was barely about fashion and I didn’t like some of the fashion choices they had in the book. It was good but dealt with drugs,drinking,cheating etc… I just wanted something light.
February 2, 2020
It was a fun, light-hearted read. I enjoyed the plots, they seemed real for the most part and had just the right amount of complexity.
I wasn't partial to Justine. After her first chapter, she mostly just turned out to be an asshole and didn't really go through any character development.
I wasn't partial to Justine. After her first chapter, she mostly just turned out to be an asshole and didn't really go through any character development.
April 18, 2023
3.5, there were some unresolved parts, not sure if they were supposed to be like that. plot was confusing, there were really good cliff hangers at the ends of most of the chapters. it was super hard to memorize who was who.
October 31, 2017
I hated this 299 page book I really HATED this book! I would NEVER recommend anyone to read it!
September 29, 2020
This book was amazing, but that last part about Becka was really morbid and hard to understand. Still, a good book.
December 11, 2019
I think that Tales From my Closet is a very nice tale of five girls in high school It is their first year at high school. They are going to face tons of drama. This year there is going to be drama,friends and clothes. Each girl has her own way of fashion. I would recommend this book to grade 5 to 7 students
By BAPREET KAUR
By BAPREET KAUR
May 16, 2014
Justine:
Justine isn't exactly happy when her parents inform her that they'll be trading in their San Francisco digs to move clear across the United States to Westfield, New Jersey. Westfield wouldn't be so bad if it didn't seem to be smack in the middle of nowhere. There are no thrift stores. there are no scenic views. There's only Becka, the next door neighbor who seems to hate her upon sight, and a fabulous paper dress, the she hopes will attract more than just stares.
Becka:
After traveling abroad to Paris, the city of love and lights, life in Westfield New Jersey is downright dull. There are no fancy restaurants. There are no fashionista's walking the street. There is no Arnaud, Becka's older, French beau. All Westfield New Jersey offers is a dull life with a new neighbor. Becka's mother seems to be forcing upon her. She already has a best friend, and really doesn't want one who's fashion sense includes wearing a paper dress.
Polly:
Westfield, New Jersey isn't the place to live if you're a budding fashionista. No one gets Polly nor her budding fashion sense, even her supposed best friend Becka. What Polly sees as chic and imaginative, most people - including friends and family - would consider night wear. But enter Justine, the new girl sporting a paper dress. Now, this girl may actually get Polly. That is, if Becka doesn't stand in her way.
Bianca:
Unlike her friend, Bianca is quite content to live in the suburbs of New Jersey. Admittedly, Westfield isn't much but it's a place where Bianca and her supposed whale shaped figure could blend in. She's never considered herself a fashionista, not like Polly who could rock everything and anything, including pajamas, but what she wouldn't do for a pair of white jeans that flatter her swimmer's figure. When those white jean dreams become a reality, Bianca starts to realize that just like Polly, she can rock almost anything, even that new girl's awesome paper dress!
Anne:
Anne isn't sick of Westfield, New Jersey. What she's really sick of is living in the shadow of her old, more perfect sister Martha. Martha gets good grades. She goes to a top-notch ivy league school. She's on her way to becoming something big. Anne could never live up to that, or could she? With a little help from her grandmother and some retro chic threads Anne is determined to make her way into the fashion world. With a little help from her new-found friend Justine, Anne is out to take the fashion world by storm - one blog post at a time.
Tales From My Closet, written by author Jennifer Anne Moses, is novel filled with fashion that, for myself as a reader, seemed to fizzle out before it really got started.
Author Moses' writing is solid. She weaves the lives of five vastly different girls with five vastly different fashion senses seamlessly into one storyline with real ease. Because of this Moses' debut Tales From My Closet is a truly inviting and engaging novel. I'm going to be honest here, real honest. I didn't love the overall plot line in general. I didn't love all of the characters. But for whatever reason I could NOT put this book down. There was a strange allure of finding out what would happen, and what these girls would be wearing while it happened.
Besides the fashion, Tale From My Closet, there is a lot going on. I wouldn't necessarily call this novel an "issues" novel, but in fact it deals with quite of number of real life issues: family problems, financial instabilities, and both mental and physical abuse situations. All of these issues are portrayed honestly, accurately, and above all things realistically. Beyond that, they are all handled well - with grace and care.
Moses' debut was the kind of book I really wanted to lose myself in. I wanted to wrap myself in it like Becka and that beat up raincoat that was such a hot topic in this book. But reality was, it wasn't my cup of tea. Even though all the issues were honest and real, I felt that some of them were thrown in to give this book some depth.
Besides this, I didn't necessarily love the characters either. Well, let me rephrase that: I didn't love all of the characters, but there were some I really did like even if I didn't or couldn't relate to any.For me, because this book was told from five different perspectives I felt like I really couldn't get to know all of the characters. I felt that some characters were more developed than others. For instance, I would have loved to know more about Polly and where/when her love of fashion started.
Unfortunately, Tales From My Closet wasn't my cup of tea. Maybe it's because I'm no fashionista, maybe it's because I couldn't relate and connect on a more personal level with the plot and it's characters. Even though the writing was solid and engaging, those things weren't enough to save the book for me.
But just because this wasn't the read for me, doesn't mean it's not a read for you. Check it out, and let's discuss!
Justine isn't exactly happy when her parents inform her that they'll be trading in their San Francisco digs to move clear across the United States to Westfield, New Jersey. Westfield wouldn't be so bad if it didn't seem to be smack in the middle of nowhere. There are no thrift stores. there are no scenic views. There's only Becka, the next door neighbor who seems to hate her upon sight, and a fabulous paper dress, the she hopes will attract more than just stares.
Becka:
After traveling abroad to Paris, the city of love and lights, life in Westfield New Jersey is downright dull. There are no fancy restaurants. There are no fashionista's walking the street. There is no Arnaud, Becka's older, French beau. All Westfield New Jersey offers is a dull life with a new neighbor. Becka's mother seems to be forcing upon her. She already has a best friend, and really doesn't want one who's fashion sense includes wearing a paper dress.
Polly:
Westfield, New Jersey isn't the place to live if you're a budding fashionista. No one gets Polly nor her budding fashion sense, even her supposed best friend Becka. What Polly sees as chic and imaginative, most people - including friends and family - would consider night wear. But enter Justine, the new girl sporting a paper dress. Now, this girl may actually get Polly. That is, if Becka doesn't stand in her way.
Bianca:
Unlike her friend, Bianca is quite content to live in the suburbs of New Jersey. Admittedly, Westfield isn't much but it's a place where Bianca and her supposed whale shaped figure could blend in. She's never considered herself a fashionista, not like Polly who could rock everything and anything, including pajamas, but what she wouldn't do for a pair of white jeans that flatter her swimmer's figure. When those white jean dreams become a reality, Bianca starts to realize that just like Polly, she can rock almost anything, even that new girl's awesome paper dress!
Anne:
Anne isn't sick of Westfield, New Jersey. What she's really sick of is living in the shadow of her old, more perfect sister Martha. Martha gets good grades. She goes to a top-notch ivy league school. She's on her way to becoming something big. Anne could never live up to that, or could she? With a little help from her grandmother and some retro chic threads Anne is determined to make her way into the fashion world. With a little help from her new-found friend Justine, Anne is out to take the fashion world by storm - one blog post at a time.
Tales From My Closet, written by author Jennifer Anne Moses, is novel filled with fashion that, for myself as a reader, seemed to fizzle out before it really got started.
Author Moses' writing is solid. She weaves the lives of five vastly different girls with five vastly different fashion senses seamlessly into one storyline with real ease. Because of this Moses' debut Tales From My Closet is a truly inviting and engaging novel. I'm going to be honest here, real honest. I didn't love the overall plot line in general. I didn't love all of the characters. But for whatever reason I could NOT put this book down. There was a strange allure of finding out what would happen, and what these girls would be wearing while it happened.
Besides the fashion, Tale From My Closet, there is a lot going on. I wouldn't necessarily call this novel an "issues" novel, but in fact it deals with quite of number of real life issues: family problems, financial instabilities, and both mental and physical abuse situations. All of these issues are portrayed honestly, accurately, and above all things realistically. Beyond that, they are all handled well - with grace and care.
Moses' debut was the kind of book I really wanted to lose myself in. I wanted to wrap myself in it like Becka and that beat up raincoat that was such a hot topic in this book. But reality was, it wasn't my cup of tea. Even though all the issues were honest and real, I felt that some of them were thrown in to give this book some depth.
Besides this, I didn't necessarily love the characters either. Well, let me rephrase that: I didn't love all of the characters, but there were some I really did like even if I didn't or couldn't relate to any.For me, because this book was told from five different perspectives I felt like I really couldn't get to know all of the characters. I felt that some characters were more developed than others. For instance, I would have loved to know more about Polly and where/when her love of fashion started.
Unfortunately, Tales From My Closet wasn't my cup of tea. Maybe it's because I'm no fashionista, maybe it's because I couldn't relate and connect on a more personal level with the plot and it's characters. Even though the writing was solid and engaging, those things weren't enough to save the book for me.
But just because this wasn't the read for me, doesn't mean it's not a read for you. Check it out, and let's discuss!
January 25, 2014
Synopsis: Justine the vintage lover, Ann the eccentric dresser, Becka the queen of glam, Polly the lover of pajamas, and Robin the dreamer of fabrics. These five fashion loving girls will come together in a story of family, friendship and fashion to tell their stories and share their love of clothing. Told from unique perspectives, Jennifer Anne Moses's Tales From My Closet gives readers a look inside a teenage girl's closet, and her heart.
Review: A huge thank you to Scholastic via Netgalley, AND Traci @ The Reading Geek for sending me this ARC for review!
Wow. These girls were BITCHES. I'm sorry, but I have not a single ounce of sympathy for them. Their stories did not impress me. What each of the girls had to deal with were actually terribly sad problems, but they way they dealt with it, and their petty mannerisms and trashy behavior just did not work for me.
Characters: Tales From My Closet is told from the points of view of 5 different teenage girls. Like every unique individual, they each had their own problems, whether it be with family or love. This would have been something interesting to read, had the girls not been horrible characters. Some were tolerable, but none of them seemed like they could handle anything. At the age of fifteen, they weren't exactly adults, but some teenagers are quite mature, and I didn't see a single morsel of maturity in any of the girls. They behavior was terrible! Picture this: Becka and Justine are enemies, but when Becka is rushed to the hospital because of Justine, what does Justine do? She just yells at her mother for blaming her and sits at home. I honestly could not believe it and it made me want to THROTTLE her. If I knew someone (even a mortal enemy) was in the hospital because of something I had done, I would feel guilty beyond belief and I would definitely do the best that I could in that situation. Apparently, Justine was too much of a baby to have these logical thoughts. Honestly, the personalities of these girls killed the book.
Storyline/Plot: It was nice to see a family dynamic woven in along with high school drama and friendship. The story was fast paced. There were a few parts that were mundane, but overall the plot was typical for a group of teenage girls.
Writing: Ah ha. The writing. Do you remember reading those picture books when you were younger, with all the blatant statements capped off with an exclamation point? Like this:
"Jayne wore jeans yesterday!"
Tales From My Closet was FULL OF THOSE. And I didn't expect that from a YA book. In a picture book, or even MG, yes, but NOT in the genre where many readers have high expectations for the writing. This just goes to show that some books will disappoint you a little bit and not every work will have lyrical and flowing writing.
Conclusion: While I wasn't going to walk away before finishing Tales From My Closet, I really didn't like it all that much. The whole thing seemed a bit childish and petty to me.
xoxo,
Fiction_TheNewReality
Review: A huge thank you to Scholastic via Netgalley, AND Traci @ The Reading Geek for sending me this ARC for review!
Wow. These girls were BITCHES. I'm sorry, but I have not a single ounce of sympathy for them. Their stories did not impress me. What each of the girls had to deal with were actually terribly sad problems, but they way they dealt with it, and their petty mannerisms and trashy behavior just did not work for me.
Characters: Tales From My Closet is told from the points of view of 5 different teenage girls. Like every unique individual, they each had their own problems, whether it be with family or love. This would have been something interesting to read, had the girls not been horrible characters. Some were tolerable, but none of them seemed like they could handle anything. At the age of fifteen, they weren't exactly adults, but some teenagers are quite mature, and I didn't see a single morsel of maturity in any of the girls. They behavior was terrible! Picture this: Becka and Justine are enemies, but when Becka is rushed to the hospital because of Justine, what does Justine do? She just yells at her mother for blaming her and sits at home. I honestly could not believe it and it made me want to THROTTLE her. If I knew someone (even a mortal enemy) was in the hospital because of something I had done, I would feel guilty beyond belief and I would definitely do the best that I could in that situation. Apparently, Justine was too much of a baby to have these logical thoughts. Honestly, the personalities of these girls killed the book.
Storyline/Plot: It was nice to see a family dynamic woven in along with high school drama and friendship. The story was fast paced. There were a few parts that were mundane, but overall the plot was typical for a group of teenage girls.
Writing: Ah ha. The writing. Do you remember reading those picture books when you were younger, with all the blatant statements capped off with an exclamation point? Like this:
"Jayne wore jeans yesterday!"
Tales From My Closet was FULL OF THOSE. And I didn't expect that from a YA book. In a picture book, or even MG, yes, but NOT in the genre where many readers have high expectations for the writing. This just goes to show that some books will disappoint you a little bit and not every work will have lyrical and flowing writing.
Conclusion: While I wasn't going to walk away before finishing Tales From My Closet, I really didn't like it all that much. The whole thing seemed a bit childish and petty to me.
xoxo,
Fiction_TheNewReality
November 13, 2014
FIRST THOUGHTS:
2.5 stars. The girls were all pretty interesting.
REVIEW:
In Tales from My Closet, readers are dropped straight into the lives of five very different girls -- Becca, Justine, Robin, Polly and Ann. The novel alternates between their stories successfully, tying them all together with how clothing plays a part in each girl's life. (It also helps that they live in the same area, and go to the same school, of course.) While I do think that each girl's story could have been granted a little more depth, Tales from My Closet was fun to read.
Tales from My Closet worked well for me because the author gave me something I could identify with in each girl’s experience. By sharing the lives of these five girls, Moses offers up a range of experiences including romance, self-discovery and family problems. Many of the things these girls go through will strike readers as familiar, capturing precisely how it might actually have felt.
Out of the five mentioned above, my favorite girls are Ann and Robin. Ann definitely has a lot of the qualities that I possess – awkwardness, a sense of duty to my parents, an interest in more creative endeavors. It was quite fun to read something that mirrored a big part of my own teenage experience when reading about Ann’s life. I also really enjoyed her relationship with her grandmother!
Robin, on the other hand, is determined to chase after her dreams of working in fashion, and refuses to be deterred by money or her parent’s wishes. While she’s not perfect (particularly when it comes to curbing her spending), she’s pretty darn cool. I admired her tenacity, her courage to pursue what she wanted and how hard she worked to get to where she wanted to go.
I did expect a lot more gravity, though. Some of the situations in the novel had the potential, if handled correctly, to make the readers really feel for the girl going through them. This didn’t happen, sadly, since Tales from My Closet never strayed from a light, breezy tone in its storytelling. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if you’re expecting fluff, I do think it might have added a little extra to the novel to have really felt for these characters and what they’re going through.
I did like Tales from My Closet. It was the perfect fluff read for me while I was sick! Even though I do think that it has the potential to be developed a little more, it was pretty good – especially with the references to clothing and fashion sprinkled all throughout.
{If you liked this review, check out Alexa Loves Books for more!}
2.5 stars. The girls were all pretty interesting.
REVIEW:
In Tales from My Closet, readers are dropped straight into the lives of five very different girls -- Becca, Justine, Robin, Polly and Ann. The novel alternates between their stories successfully, tying them all together with how clothing plays a part in each girl's life. (It also helps that they live in the same area, and go to the same school, of course.) While I do think that each girl's story could have been granted a little more depth, Tales from My Closet was fun to read.
Tales from My Closet worked well for me because the author gave me something I could identify with in each girl’s experience. By sharing the lives of these five girls, Moses offers up a range of experiences including romance, self-discovery and family problems. Many of the things these girls go through will strike readers as familiar, capturing precisely how it might actually have felt.
Out of the five mentioned above, my favorite girls are Ann and Robin. Ann definitely has a lot of the qualities that I possess – awkwardness, a sense of duty to my parents, an interest in more creative endeavors. It was quite fun to read something that mirrored a big part of my own teenage experience when reading about Ann’s life. I also really enjoyed her relationship with her grandmother!
Robin, on the other hand, is determined to chase after her dreams of working in fashion, and refuses to be deterred by money or her parent’s wishes. While she’s not perfect (particularly when it comes to curbing her spending), she’s pretty darn cool. I admired her tenacity, her courage to pursue what she wanted and how hard she worked to get to where she wanted to go.
I did expect a lot more gravity, though. Some of the situations in the novel had the potential, if handled correctly, to make the readers really feel for the girl going through them. This didn’t happen, sadly, since Tales from My Closet never strayed from a light, breezy tone in its storytelling. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, particularly if you’re expecting fluff, I do think it might have added a little extra to the novel to have really felt for these characters and what they’re going through.
I did like Tales from My Closet. It was the perfect fluff read for me while I was sick! Even though I do think that it has the potential to be developed a little more, it was pretty good – especially with the references to clothing and fashion sprinkled all throughout.
{If you liked this review, check out Alexa Loves Books for more!}
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November 3, 2016Tales from my Closet
Jennifer Anne Moses
I like this book, but I don’t like it as much as I thought I would. I like the story each of the girls told, but personally it just wasn’t exciting. The details were okay, there could have been more explaining about what they thought. I could picture it in my mind but there was really no spark of interest.
The main settings in the book were all of their houses, I can’t really explain them because they didn’t really describe them. But, they all went to the same school in the city, it had a pool, and I guess everything else a regular school had, but like I said, NEEDS MORE DETAILS!
The main characters were (1) Justine, the new girl with curly red hair and a father who’s having an affair with another woman other than her mother. (2) Becka, the popular who cares nothing about anything other than a guy she met in Paris, and her mom REALLY annoys her. (3) Robin, Becka’s best friend with a passion for fashion. Her mother thinks she has a spending problem, and her fathers an alcoholic. (4) Polly, the athletic girl who's a swimmer. Her and her mom are poor, but her mom wants her to have the best life possible, her fathers not in the picture. And lastly, (5) Ann, the skinny girl who loves clothes but has a very strict mom. She feels like shes always compared to her older sister.
The main conflict(s) in the book are everyday problems which all the girls have to face, family, friend, love, drama, secrets, and clothes. They all find themselves and get to see everyone's true colors.
I would recommend this book to others, people who like drama, the problems and entertainment of life, and obstacles that come with it. I would recommend this because other than the lack of details, it is an okay book. It teaches you a valuable lesson on love, family, friends, and life.
Jennifer Anne Moses
I like this book, but I don’t like it as much as I thought I would. I like the story each of the girls told, but personally it just wasn’t exciting. The details were okay, there could have been more explaining about what they thought. I could picture it in my mind but there was really no spark of interest.
The main settings in the book were all of their houses, I can’t really explain them because they didn’t really describe them. But, they all went to the same school in the city, it had a pool, and I guess everything else a regular school had, but like I said, NEEDS MORE DETAILS!
The main characters were (1) Justine, the new girl with curly red hair and a father who’s having an affair with another woman other than her mother. (2) Becka, the popular who cares nothing about anything other than a guy she met in Paris, and her mom REALLY annoys her. (3) Robin, Becka’s best friend with a passion for fashion. Her mother thinks she has a spending problem, and her fathers an alcoholic. (4) Polly, the athletic girl who's a swimmer. Her and her mom are poor, but her mom wants her to have the best life possible, her fathers not in the picture. And lastly, (5) Ann, the skinny girl who loves clothes but has a very strict mom. She feels like shes always compared to her older sister.
The main conflict(s) in the book are everyday problems which all the girls have to face, family, friend, love, drama, secrets, and clothes. They all find themselves and get to see everyone's true colors.
I would recommend this book to others, people who like drama, the problems and entertainment of life, and obstacles that come with it. I would recommend this because other than the lack of details, it is an okay book. It teaches you a valuable lesson on love, family, friends, and life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2014
Tales From My Closet
Jenifer Anne Moses
Copyright 2014
Justine starts her Sophomore year at another new school. She moves around a lot it seems to her like she is moving every year. It is not quite as bad as that but it feels that way. The first day of her Sophmore year starts out horribly, she is the new girl and the other students are making fun of her, she hates New Jersey...
Justine's first day she decides to wear a paper dress which turns into a disaster when the dress gets stained and classmates make fun of the dress.
Finally Justine starts to see the light at the end of the tunnel when her Aunt invites her to Paris for winter vacation. She has lived in Paris twice with her family, and thinks she is falling in love with a twenty year old College Student, of course her parents don't know that when they agree she can go. They just want her to get over her teenage angst, but she is looking forward to meeting up with the young man she thinks she loves.
Justine's parents want her to befriend a girl in her class name Becka, a friend of her friend, and the truth is Becka kind of does admire her fashion sense, though she does not really say so.
It does not take Justine long to realize she is not the only one her age with problems, with issues, some have problems far more serious than hers. When her new friend Becka attmpts suicide the reality that she is not the only one trying to make her place in this world hits home, she thinks its over the blog they write, but Becka assures her it is not...
Tales From My Closet is a great book for highschool aged girls to read, one many can relate to.
Jenifer Anne Moses
Copyright 2014
Justine starts her Sophomore year at another new school. She moves around a lot it seems to her like she is moving every year. It is not quite as bad as that but it feels that way. The first day of her Sophmore year starts out horribly, she is the new girl and the other students are making fun of her, she hates New Jersey...
Justine's first day she decides to wear a paper dress which turns into a disaster when the dress gets stained and classmates make fun of the dress.
Finally Justine starts to see the light at the end of the tunnel when her Aunt invites her to Paris for winter vacation. She has lived in Paris twice with her family, and thinks she is falling in love with a twenty year old College Student, of course her parents don't know that when they agree she can go. They just want her to get over her teenage angst, but she is looking forward to meeting up with the young man she thinks she loves.
Justine's parents want her to befriend a girl in her class name Becka, a friend of her friend, and the truth is Becka kind of does admire her fashion sense, though she does not really say so.
It does not take Justine long to realize she is not the only one her age with problems, with issues, some have problems far more serious than hers. When her new friend Becka attmpts suicide the reality that she is not the only one trying to make her place in this world hits home, she thinks its over the blog they write, but Becka assures her it is not...
Tales From My Closet is a great book for highschool aged girls to read, one many can relate to.
April 27, 2014
It has been said that clothes make the man, and never is that old adage truer than for high school girls. This book tells the stories of five very different high school sophomores living in a small town in New Jersey, but it does so through their clothing and fashion issues. It's fun to watch as Justine, a recent transplant from San Francisco, wears a vintage paper dress on the first day of class, and then meet the four other teens featured in the book. All of them have their own unique fashion sense and anxieties, often expressed through what they will (or won't) wear, and to see the same events viewed through different eyes. All five of them (Justine, Becka, Robin, Polly, and Ann) are dealing the family and identity issues in various ways, and teen readers will surely relate to one of them. Even the most popular girls have concerns or secrets that they are hiding. For instance, although Becka, the girl who has everything, might seem to have it all, that is not the case. Readers' hearts will break for her when she returns to Paris to rekindle a summer romance only to find that the object of her affections is something so much less than she thought he was. While some of the stories and characters are less fully fleshed out than others, this book, told from five alternating points of view, provides some insight into how our fashion choices may define or reveal our individual identity--if only we can afford to pay for what we want.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 24, 2015
The novel, Tales from My Closet by Jennifer Anne Moses, is about 4 girls who are all having a personal issue with something in their "closet". New girl, Justine, is trying to hide the fact that her parent's marriage is failing behind her obsession with a paper dress from the 1960s. Model perfect, Becka may own everything she wants, but it doesn't stop her therapist mom's nosy questions. Sporty Polly may be a championship swimmer, but she's afraid that a pair of white designer jeans she loves will make her large rear end look even bigger. Preppy Ann thinks that if she ditches her GAP clothes for her grandmother's vintage clothes, she will lose the academic pressure from her parents. But as all the girls end up in a New Jersey high school, lots of drama comes in. Even though the endings weren't all that great, the girls learn that they can depend on each other on wardrobes and in times of crisis. The characters seem believable because all the girls try to fit in to the crowd using materialistic things. For example, people in the real world buy cut clothes to fit in. In addition, the girls' actions to each other is very similar to what happens in the real world. The girls will fight and gossip just like actual people. Overall, this novel is amazing book because takes real girl problems into an astonishing novel.
January 6, 2014
This is a perfect story for any young fashionista, or anyone who wants to be. I really liked the five interconnecting stories of five fashion-forward girls at a New Jersey high school. Each alternating chapter gave new insight into the chapters before it, but kept the story moving ahead as well (a feat not every book masters). The girls were diverse and took on fashion from a different angle, another nice twist. This is not a Clique novel with labels being name dropped every few pages, and even a new fashion convert, like the young teens this book is targeting, would be able to follow the fashion descriptions are clear and vivid. I felt like Rachel through much of the novel, coveting the fabulous fashion the other girls sported.
Overall, a nicely told story that worked on several levels. True plot was a little thin at times, but the novel was still a success in the way the Shopaholic series is--fun, fashionable, with a decent plot to keep things moving along, and memorable characters.
*ARC from NetGalley
Overall, a nicely told story that worked on several levels. True plot was a little thin at times, but the novel was still a success in the way the Shopaholic series is--fun, fashionable, with a decent plot to keep things moving along, and memorable characters.
*ARC from NetGalley
October 8, 2015
I was amazed at the amount of drama that a normal high school girl has to go through. Take the clothes, for instance. If you have cool clothes and are beautiful, you are deemed a goddess, and if you wear the highly unoriginal jeans-T-shirt-sneakers uniform, you are practically invisible among al the other people. I think that no one should care about clothes that much. It's not beautiful, expensive items of clothing that give a person his/her personality. It was a good book, though, and I liked that way the author tells the story from five different viewpoints: Becka, Ann, Polly, Robin, and Justine. I have to say, I did hold a grudge against Becka for a little while because she was one of those spoiled clique-type girls. I was disappointed that Polly did not make the swimming State, though, because she is such a good swimmer. And how Polly's grandfather died and Justine's father was seeing another woman while her mom gave up her career for him was really sad. The book was moving, and it turned out okay in the end.
March 10, 2015
Justine is the main character in Jennifer Anne Moses book, "Tales From My Closet". Justine starts out at a new school and trys to fit in with a new paper dress. All of the girls share their stories and each have a different fashion sense. Becca, the rich one, wears only the most expensive and designer brands, while Justine's style is unique and vintage. Polly is not very wealthy and her mother has a hard time buying her clothes, Robin wears pajamas and Anne uses her grandmother's wardrobe. They all have different statments and some friends will turn into enemies.
I did not like this book. I think it was too predictable and not different from any other story about girls who discover they all have something in common and become friends. I also found it confusing because Polly and Justine both had dads who ran away and Robin's dad abused her so sometimes it was diffucult to figure out who I was reading about.
I did not like this book. I think it was too predictable and not different from any other story about girls who discover they all have something in common and become friends. I also found it confusing because Polly and Justine both had dads who ran away and Robin's dad abused her so sometimes it was diffucult to figure out who I was reading about.
February 8, 2015
Loved the alternating stories throughout the book. Huge of family secrets, financial instabilities, denial, self-image, self-discovery, teenage hormones, and a fashion sense that will drive them crazy! With the alternating stories, you got the insight of all the girl’s thoughts, and how everything played out. Of course all the girls have a connection that is bound to be nothing but true friends.
The story was very well put together, inviting, and you can really see how this could easily be a true life story. My only downfall was some of the characters lacked building, and I would love to known more about them. However, it is definitely worth a read and will recommend to those would love Young Adult.
We're Jumpin' Books
The story was very well put together, inviting, and you can really see how this could easily be a true life story. My only downfall was some of the characters lacked building, and I would love to known more about them. However, it is definitely worth a read and will recommend to those would love Young Adult.
We're Jumpin' Books
June 6, 2014
In ways, this book reminded me of the first Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants book or even a BSC book. Told from 4 POVs, it wasn't enough time to truly dive into each character. This made for a quick read but some super serious things happened and they were a glossed over in some instances.
Really enjoyed hearing what each girl was wearing and how fashion brought them closer/created a bit of competition.
One other issue I had was how much their maturity flip flopped? They were 15, but when they talked about boys (not so often, surprisingly) it was very "eww" and some of their reactions seemed more fitting for a 12- to 13-year old and not kids in high school.
All in all, glad I gave this book a whirl. (But I wish the cover was different! These girls didn't actually spend that much time together and never shopped together once. It was very much separate stories with some overlap.)
Really enjoyed hearing what each girl was wearing and how fashion brought them closer/created a bit of competition.
One other issue I had was how much their maturity flip flopped? They were 15, but when they talked about boys (not so often, surprisingly) it was very "eww" and some of their reactions seemed more fitting for a 12- to 13-year old and not kids in high school.
All in all, glad I gave this book a whirl. (But I wish the cover was different! These girls didn't actually spend that much time together and never shopped together once. It was very much separate stories with some overlap.)
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March 27, 2014When justine moves to a differnt school, she notice that all the girls have different fashion..
She showed up wearing scoot paper caper dress,she tthinks its a superoriginal fashion statement,but the girls at the school dont like the way she dress. They tried giving her tips on how to dress but she dont agree she want to have her own fashion..Justine has to realize that everyone's style isnt the same its ok if she wants to be different she just have to see that being different is going to be hard, escpecially while going into a new school....I wonder if she going to dress differently or is she going to stick with weraring scoot paper caper dresses??!!!!!! Since each girl has their own fashion obsession,ranging from fabulous boots to raggedy pajamas
She showed up wearing scoot paper caper dress,she tthinks its a superoriginal fashion statement,but the girls at the school dont like the way she dress. They tried giving her tips on how to dress but she dont agree she want to have her own fashion..Justine has to realize that everyone's style isnt the same its ok if she wants to be different she just have to see that being different is going to be hard, escpecially while going into a new school....I wonder if she going to dress differently or is she going to stick with weraring scoot paper caper dresses??!!!!!! Since each girl has their own fashion obsession,ranging from fabulous boots to raggedy pajamas
May 19, 2015
Easy, light reading. Nothing I took too seriously. I'll admit Ann grew on me as well as Robin. Polly I'm on the fence about (what fifteen year old stills calls their mom Mommy all the time?) Justine I thought I'd be ok with (there were certain moments where I felt some sympathy for her) but then there were other moments where I just couldn't care less. Becka is the only character whose POV I didn't enjoy. Then again, the melodramatic tone coming from served as a nice reminder that she's fifteen. This is a great distraction in between the heavier textbooks / mandatory requirements I had to read for my last semester.
April 15, 2014
This book wasnt bad. I think if I was in the targeted demographic I would have loved it like the first days of Gossip Girl and Sisterhood of the Traveling pants. Most of the characters are likeable and relateable. The storylines are decent. The author was laying out lessons in a way that didnt sound preachy. I wish there had been a full story on Polly and her dad. Theres no YA books that come to mind and tackle that scenario.
Im having my half child who is going on 13 to read it. I'll update this when she gives me her opinion.
Im having my half child who is going on 13 to read it. I'll update this when she gives me her opinion.
December 17, 2016
Tales from my closet is a book about these 4 girls who are into fashion. One day this girl shows up with a paper dress and the 4 girls are wondering how to make the dress. So they go up to the girl and ask her how she made the dress. She tells them how to do it. The girls become best friends and the girl who made the paper dress had showed the 4 girls what she has made out of paper. They become to realize that they should make a web page and sell these items. There web page was doing great and many people treated them like cleberties. I reccomend this book the people who like fashion.
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