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Claire Voyante #1
Dream Girl
CLAIRE VOYANTE HAS been having strange visions ever since she can remember. But the similarity between her name and her talents is purely coincidental. The name is French, and unlike the psychics on TV, she can’t solve crimes or talk to the dead. Whenever Claire follows her hunches, she comes up empty—or ends up in pretty awkward situations.
But that all changes on Claire’s 15th birthday, when her grandmother, Kiki—former socialite, fashion icon, and permanent fixture at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel—gives her something a little more extraordinary than one of her old cocktail a strange black-and-white onyx cameo on a gold chain. It’s not long before Claire’s world becomes a whole lot clearer. And a whole lot more dangerous.
But that all changes on Claire’s 15th birthday, when her grandmother, Kiki—former socialite, fashion icon, and permanent fixture at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel—gives her something a little more extraordinary than one of her old cocktail a strange black-and-white onyx cameo on a gold chain. It’s not long before Claire’s world becomes a whole lot clearer. And a whole lot more dangerous.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
10 people are currently reading
456 people want to read
About the author
Lauren Mechling
9 books29 followersLauren Mechling grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and graduated from Harvard College.
She writes a weekly column for the New York Sun, where she has also been a crime reporter, and she has written for several other publications including the Wall Street Journal and Seventeen Magazine.
She writes a weekly column for the New York Sun, where she has also been a crime reporter, and she has written for several other publications including the Wall Street Journal and Seventeen Magazine.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
December 31, 2009
DREAM GIRL is an utterly delightful, entertaining, and real book, featuring sharp writing and amazing characters. I couldn’t put it down, and, considering how this is not my usual genre fare for reading, that’s saying something.
Lauren Mechling’s writing is pitch-perfect for the likable Claire. Claire has a tongue-in-cheek way of approaching and viewing the world, going along with all the eccentricities around her while simultaneously making her genuine mark on others. She sounds like a real 15-year-old, not a grown up trying to hard to capture a 15-year-old’s voice or a 15-year-old whom you want to whack in the head for being insufferably annoying.
But Claire is not the only strong character in this book. With the possible exception of the mean-girl posse at school (and Lauren even hints at the possibility of their redemption), there is not one character in DREAM GIRL that feels like a stereotype. They are, incredibly, all charming and interesting. The dialogue is excellent; in fact, if you’re an appreciator of all-too-rare good writing in chick lit, as I am, you won’t be able to stop smiling through this book, chuckling at all the subtle witticisms and nodding your head at the realistic portrayal of people.
The psychic mystery element of DREAM GIRL works if you suspend your disbelief that a girl’s dreams can help her solve a sinister international crime. I liked how this novel is character-driven, not plot-dependent. Claire’s prophetic dreams do not overshadow her daytime life; instead, the mystical element of the story adds just a touch of the fantastical to this otherwise contemporary novel.
Overall, those looking for good writing and light reads will enjoy DREAM GIRL. Hardcore mystery fans may find Claire’s sleuthing abilities a bit too lighthearted for their tastes, but for those of us less well-versed in the genre, DREAM GIRL is a promising read. I can’t wait to see what Claire will do next in future books!
Lauren Mechling’s writing is pitch-perfect for the likable Claire. Claire has a tongue-in-cheek way of approaching and viewing the world, going along with all the eccentricities around her while simultaneously making her genuine mark on others. She sounds like a real 15-year-old, not a grown up trying to hard to capture a 15-year-old’s voice or a 15-year-old whom you want to whack in the head for being insufferably annoying.
But Claire is not the only strong character in this book. With the possible exception of the mean-girl posse at school (and Lauren even hints at the possibility of their redemption), there is not one character in DREAM GIRL that feels like a stereotype. They are, incredibly, all charming and interesting. The dialogue is excellent; in fact, if you’re an appreciator of all-too-rare good writing in chick lit, as I am, you won’t be able to stop smiling through this book, chuckling at all the subtle witticisms and nodding your head at the realistic portrayal of people.
The psychic mystery element of DREAM GIRL works if you suspend your disbelief that a girl’s dreams can help her solve a sinister international crime. I liked how this novel is character-driven, not plot-dependent. Claire’s prophetic dreams do not overshadow her daytime life; instead, the mystical element of the story adds just a touch of the fantastical to this otherwise contemporary novel.
Overall, those looking for good writing and light reads will enjoy DREAM GIRL. Hardcore mystery fans may find Claire’s sleuthing abilities a bit too lighthearted for their tastes, but for those of us less well-versed in the genre, DREAM GIRL is a promising read. I can’t wait to see what Claire will do next in future books!
May 7, 2010
Thoughts:
From the gorgeous cover to the enticing words, “Dreaming just got Dangerous.” How could I not be crazy about it. Plus there were some pretty positive reviews floating around on some blogs.
My excitement-bubble popped after about page 30. That's about the point when I realized this book didn't have anything else to offer me. It was slow going, and the main character, Claire, felt like just another character. She didn't stand out, in fact she felt like she should being fading into the background. The interesting side characters should have been given more page time. The dreams were silly, and not silly good. They didn't make much sense, and it was little things that connected them back to reality.
Out of the hope for the mentioned dangerous dreams I forced myself to read, and read. Then I got to a point when I just couldn't force myself to read. Really forcing yourself to read is not healthy.
So after I realized I couldn't stand the fact that the main love interest was a guy who currently had a girlfriend, who at the moment had kissed the main character—but was still groveling to the girlfriend. A new rich best friend and a revengeful family stolen from there billion dollar ketchup recipe I stopped.
Bottom Line:
This is a cute book, a very cute boring and pointless book. I clung on to page 210 before I decided to put myself out of my misery, I even read two other books while reading this one. There are other authors who do clairvoyant/medium character books better. In fact if the clairvoyant part of this book was taken out it wouldn't have lost much, it was like a little side thought to ride the paranormal obsession out there.
Sexual Content:
A couple of kisses.
1/5 – Couldn't even finish it, or wish I hadn't.
From the gorgeous cover to the enticing words, “Dreaming just got Dangerous.” How could I not be crazy about it. Plus there were some pretty positive reviews floating around on some blogs.
My excitement-bubble popped after about page 30. That's about the point when I realized this book didn't have anything else to offer me. It was slow going, and the main character, Claire, felt like just another character. She didn't stand out, in fact she felt like she should being fading into the background. The interesting side characters should have been given more page time. The dreams were silly, and not silly good. They didn't make much sense, and it was little things that connected them back to reality.
Out of the hope for the mentioned dangerous dreams I forced myself to read, and read. Then I got to a point when I just couldn't force myself to read. Really forcing yourself to read is not healthy.
So after I realized I couldn't stand the fact that the main love interest was a guy who currently had a girlfriend, who at the moment had kissed the main character—but was still groveling to the girlfriend. A new rich best friend and a revengeful family stolen from there billion dollar ketchup recipe I stopped.
Bottom Line:
This is a cute book, a very cute boring and pointless book. I clung on to page 210 before I decided to put myself out of my misery, I even read two other books while reading this one. There are other authors who do clairvoyant/medium character books better. In fact if the clairvoyant part of this book was taken out it wouldn't have lost much, it was like a little side thought to ride the paranormal obsession out there.
Sexual Content:
A couple of kisses.
1/5 – Couldn't even finish it, or wish I hadn't.
October 30, 2008
I really wanted to like this book. Loved the cover, love the premise, but I thought the execution was just not there. When I read the summary I thought that Claire would actually have visions, and that her dreams would be a bit more decipherable (is that a word?!?). The dreams just did not have enough punch for me. It took me over 2 weeks to get through it. I never had the urge to pick it up, and it wasn't until after the 100th page that I actually started becoming interested in the plot line. I think it veers in so many directions, that the story gets kind of muddied in the process. The cover may lure some teens in, but I don't know if they will want to finish it, or read other works by the author.
October 20, 2009
claire voyante (gag, NO ONE would name their kid this) starts having crazy black & white dreams when her grandmother gives her a cameo necklace for her birthday. turns out the dreams are trying to tell her something, but claire's imagination has always been overactive and it's hard for her to trust her instincts.
i read some really good reviews of this title, and i thought the cover was really fun, but i didn't enjoy the read. it took way too long for the action to start happening, and the characters were flat and uninspired, with too many questions left unanswered. and not in a "oh, maybe there will be a sequel!" way either.
i read some really good reviews of this title, and i thought the cover was really fun, but i didn't enjoy the read. it took way too long for the action to start happening, and the characters were flat and uninspired, with too many questions left unanswered. and not in a "oh, maybe there will be a sequel!" way either.
June 13, 2010
Two Sentence Summary: Since she was a little girl, Claire Voyante has had dreams that have connections to her real life. Will Claire learn to use these dreams in time to help protect a new friend while trying to find her place in a totally new school?
One Sentence Review: Claire is a sweet narrator you can’t help but root for and want to know more about, even though the plot occasionally feels confused and the minor characters sometimes slip into the background.
Read the rest of my review at my blog, Sophisticated Dorkiness.
One Sentence Review: Claire is a sweet narrator you can’t help but root for and want to know more about, even though the plot occasionally feels confused and the minor characters sometimes slip into the background.
Read the rest of my review at my blog, Sophisticated Dorkiness.
August 6, 2008
Claire uses her dream visions to help solve a mystery involving her new friend Becca, heiress to a fortune from her family's ketchup business.
Although I enjoyed the characters and Claire's voice in the story, a rambling beginning really detracted from my enjoyment. The mystery story picks up about 100 pages in and that kept me reading. Mechling's working on a sequel, so let's hope for a tighter story so we can enjoy more of these characters!
Although I enjoyed the characters and Claire's voice in the story, a rambling beginning really detracted from my enjoyment. The mystery story picks up about 100 pages in and that kept me reading. Mechling's working on a sequel, so let's hope for a tighter story so we can enjoy more of these characters!
June 14, 2019
The story is amazing and it's not cliche.
January 30, 2025
It was a good beginning and a decent ending but i had to force myself to finish this book. I can see my younger self liking this book more, but as an almost 30 years young self, not so much.
November 12, 2008
Claire Voyant has always had visions. Pointless, annoying visions--and when she follows up on them, she usually ends up trying awkwardly to explain herself. But when her fabulous grandmother Kiki gives her a cameo broach on a chain for her birthday, suddenly the visions get a lot clearer, a lot sharper, and a lot more black and white. Oh, and more accurate, too. Suddenly, Claire is having visions that may actually be useful--and as she starts following up on her hunches, she realizes that her visions may mean the difference between life and death for some of the people she cares about the most.
This book is sooooooo good. Claire is my new favorite fictional teenager. She's up there with Veronica Mars and characters in Maureen Johnson novels.
Let me tell you why this book is awesome. Mostly it boils down to character and voice, like everything that's ever awesome about a book, but I want to be specific, because I want you to read this review and run out and buy yourself a copy of this book and then read it right away so you can love it too.
First of all, Claire. Claire is hilarious. She's sarcastic and funny, but she's not unreasonably or irritatingly smart or wisecracky. She's utterly and completely believable and real. I feel like we could be friends, Claire and I. She's crabby and loves her little brother, and her parents are sometimes annoying, and she's a good friend. And that brings me to the next thing I like about this book: friendship. Claire's friendship with Becca is so honest and natural and real. They work as friends. They're not just friends because the author wants them to be friends as a plot device--the friendship grows and develops and works, and it's a pleasure to read.
The rest of the supporting characters are great too, from Claire's fabulous grandmother Kiki who lives in the Waldorf Astoria, to her little brother Henry who likes to take long walks, to her French professor father and her wishes-she-was-French mother, to her neighbors, to her school friends, talented Ian and Silent Eleanor. They sound madcap and crazy, but they're not. They're just colorful and interesting, the way real people are, and they interact with each other naturally, comfortably. All of the supporting characters, no matter how minor, feel real and realized and interesting.
Even if nothing happened in this book at all, it would be fun to read about them hanging out with each other.
Oh, and let's talk about the plot. Claire is a fantastic crack detective! She's not as all-knowing and all-seeing as, say, Nancy Drew or Veronica Mars, but she's smart and determined, and willing to stick her nose into things, especially when a friend is at risk. It's fun to read about a girl detective who's realistic (aside from the whole vision thing.) She puts the pieces together, and you can see the thought process.
And another thing. Her name is Claire Voyant, and she has visions. Claire Voyant. Get it? Get it? Of course you do. But here's the thing--instead of being lame, the author calls it out right at the beginning--Claire acknowledges that her name is lame, and quotes the fact that her grandmother doesn't think that a child with the last name Voyant should have ever been named Claire, but them are the breaks. And then it's not mentioned again for the rest of the book. Which somehow makes this cheesy name totally cool.
Rock on, Lauren Mechling. I am impressed. Impressed and entertained and totally recommending this (pretty clean) book to all the teenagers I know.
This book is sooooooo good. Claire is my new favorite fictional teenager. She's up there with Veronica Mars and characters in Maureen Johnson novels.
Let me tell you why this book is awesome. Mostly it boils down to character and voice, like everything that's ever awesome about a book, but I want to be specific, because I want you to read this review and run out and buy yourself a copy of this book and then read it right away so you can love it too.
First of all, Claire. Claire is hilarious. She's sarcastic and funny, but she's not unreasonably or irritatingly smart or wisecracky. She's utterly and completely believable and real. I feel like we could be friends, Claire and I. She's crabby and loves her little brother, and her parents are sometimes annoying, and she's a good friend. And that brings me to the next thing I like about this book: friendship. Claire's friendship with Becca is so honest and natural and real. They work as friends. They're not just friends because the author wants them to be friends as a plot device--the friendship grows and develops and works, and it's a pleasure to read.
The rest of the supporting characters are great too, from Claire's fabulous grandmother Kiki who lives in the Waldorf Astoria, to her little brother Henry who likes to take long walks, to her French professor father and her wishes-she-was-French mother, to her neighbors, to her school friends, talented Ian and Silent Eleanor. They sound madcap and crazy, but they're not. They're just colorful and interesting, the way real people are, and they interact with each other naturally, comfortably. All of the supporting characters, no matter how minor, feel real and realized and interesting.
Even if nothing happened in this book at all, it would be fun to read about them hanging out with each other.
Oh, and let's talk about the plot. Claire is a fantastic crack detective! She's not as all-knowing and all-seeing as, say, Nancy Drew or Veronica Mars, but she's smart and determined, and willing to stick her nose into things, especially when a friend is at risk. It's fun to read about a girl detective who's realistic (aside from the whole vision thing.) She puts the pieces together, and you can see the thought process.
And another thing. Her name is Claire Voyant, and she has visions. Claire Voyant. Get it? Get it? Of course you do. But here's the thing--instead of being lame, the author calls it out right at the beginning--Claire acknowledges that her name is lame, and quotes the fact that her grandmother doesn't think that a child with the last name Voyant should have ever been named Claire, but them are the breaks. And then it's not mentioned again for the rest of the book. Which somehow makes this cheesy name totally cool.
Rock on, Lauren Mechling. I am impressed. Impressed and entertained and totally recommending this (pretty clean) book to all the teenagers I know.
January 5, 2010
With a name like Claire Voyante, it’s no surprise she has prophetic dreams. Such is the plot of Lauren Mechling’s novel Dream Girl. The dreams, while yielding helpful clues to real-life circumstances, are assembled bits and pieces, and Claire is left to sort through them for what’s meaningful. The hodgepodge nature mirrors Lauren Mechling’s novel with its mix of romance, mystery, and high-school story. Unlike the dreams, however, all the elements of Dream Girl are useful and noticable. It’s a delightful pastiche.
Claire Voyante has a multitude of problems. The black and white dreams were just the beginning, but now the cameo necklace from her grandmother has amplified them, and she’s become like a detective running all over New York City, trying to piece things together. Add to that she’s been forced to leave to her nurturing “gifted and talent school” for a nerd school, where the only person she knows is friend-turned-enemy Sheila Vird.
When she makes a new friend, Becca Shuttleworth, Claire’s dreams start pointing her towards something dangerous awaiting them, and she must intervene.
When interviewing authors, I always ask “If you could live inside any children’s title, which would it be and why?” I’d have to say that one of my potential answers to that question would be Dream Girl. Mechling has created a fun world and I, for one, want to live in it. From Claire’s apartment building full of professors, to her former socialite grandmother, Kiki, there’s so much going on in this book. Claire herself was just as interesting, with typical teen worries mixed with a burdening paranormal issue. I particularly liked how Claire’s dreams didn’t just outright tell her what path to take, but were puzzles she must put together. With this tactic, the reader slowly learned how they all fit at the same pace as Claire.
Dream Girl buzzes with descriptions – fashion and decor, brilliantly pictured down to the last detail. Usually such lists of “who was wearing what” bore me, and tread into Gossip Girl territory, but I savored each word. The characters were so enjoyable, and well-developed, from their little quirks. It’s here in the description of the characters were Mechling’s writing shines, such as in this passage on Sheila Vird’s pack of “BDLs” (Best Dressed List..self-monikored, of course):
“There was no question about it – these girls were awful. I could just see it: they have been nerds all their lives and had only recently schooled themselves in the art of being popular by watching bad Disney Channel movies.”
There’s a lot of other passages I could highlight, but I urge you to read the book. And tell me you don’t covet Claire’s life just a little bit ..whether it’s her haute fashion collection or her eccentric company of friends and family.
This review was originally posted on BriMeetsBooks.com
Claire Voyante has a multitude of problems. The black and white dreams were just the beginning, but now the cameo necklace from her grandmother has amplified them, and she’s become like a detective running all over New York City, trying to piece things together. Add to that she’s been forced to leave to her nurturing “gifted and talent school” for a nerd school, where the only person she knows is friend-turned-enemy Sheila Vird.
When she makes a new friend, Becca Shuttleworth, Claire’s dreams start pointing her towards something dangerous awaiting them, and she must intervene.
When interviewing authors, I always ask “If you could live inside any children’s title, which would it be and why?” I’d have to say that one of my potential answers to that question would be Dream Girl. Mechling has created a fun world and I, for one, want to live in it. From Claire’s apartment building full of professors, to her former socialite grandmother, Kiki, there’s so much going on in this book. Claire herself was just as interesting, with typical teen worries mixed with a burdening paranormal issue. I particularly liked how Claire’s dreams didn’t just outright tell her what path to take, but were puzzles she must put together. With this tactic, the reader slowly learned how they all fit at the same pace as Claire.
Dream Girl buzzes with descriptions – fashion and decor, brilliantly pictured down to the last detail. Usually such lists of “who was wearing what” bore me, and tread into Gossip Girl territory, but I savored each word. The characters were so enjoyable, and well-developed, from their little quirks. It’s here in the description of the characters were Mechling’s writing shines, such as in this passage on Sheila Vird’s pack of “BDLs” (Best Dressed List..self-monikored, of course):
“There was no question about it – these girls were awful. I could just see it: they have been nerds all their lives and had only recently schooled themselves in the art of being popular by watching bad Disney Channel movies.”
There’s a lot of other passages I could highlight, but I urge you to read the book. And tell me you don’t covet Claire’s life just a little bit ..whether it’s her haute fashion collection or her eccentric company of friends and family.
This review was originally posted on BriMeetsBooks.com
May 12, 2010
3/30/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling. Claire is moving to Hudson High school and she met Sheila a long time ago but they're not friends anymore so they don't talk to each other anymore. She regretted going to go that school. She got in by mistake.
4/6/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling.This girl named Clarie. She realized that she has alot of dreams some of her dreams could be dangerous some could be as simple as seeing the same lock. She recently got transfered to Henry Hudson High school. She only met one friend Becca. On her 15th birthday her grandmother gives her a strange cameo necklace.
4/13/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling. Becca invited Claire to go with them to a family vacation. Rye was Andy's girlfriend and Andy was Becca's older brother. At the last minute Rye couldn't come so Claire went with them. During their trip in Aspen Rye came to Aspen. They were all surprised and asked why Rye was here.
4/27/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling. Clarie, her grandmother Kiki gave her a cameo. I like the part in the story when Claire drags Cheri-Lee to New Jersey to some poet workshop she wanted to get more facts about Sheila.
Page 239
"I'd come hoping Cheri-Lee would let something revealing about Sheila slip, but that didn't seem about to happen any time soon. She was too wrapped up in the conference to think about anything else. Was it possible that the second part of my dream, the part with the pizza, was where the secret treasure was hidden?"
What I have to say about this part is that Claire wanted more information about Sheila so she asked her mom Cheri-Lee. On Valentine's Day everybody was sending flowers and Claire received a flower.
Page 226-227
"The girl who came to our homeroom to hand out everyone's flowers introduced herself as Winnie. She had long oily hair and a habit of staring at the floor while she talked. She gave out flowers one by one, which would have made sense had every flower not been there for Sheila. After watching Sheila get up from her seat for the fiftienth time to accept a flower, I lost interest and turned my attention to Sofa City, a miniature comic book Ian had lent me. A few pages in, somebody pinched my arm.
"Claire Voyante?" Winnie was saying.
"Me?" There had to be a mistake unless Becca brought me a flower as a joke."
Claire thought that it was Sheila who sent her a flower. She had to get to the bottom of this. She didn't know how to get more information except to bring Cheri-Lee to the poet.
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling. Claire is moving to Hudson High school and she met Sheila a long time ago but they're not friends anymore so they don't talk to each other anymore. She regretted going to go that school. She got in by mistake.
4/6/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling.This girl named Clarie. She realized that she has alot of dreams some of her dreams could be dangerous some could be as simple as seeing the same lock. She recently got transfered to Henry Hudson High school. She only met one friend Becca. On her 15th birthday her grandmother gives her a strange cameo necklace.
4/13/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling. Becca invited Claire to go with them to a family vacation. Rye was Andy's girlfriend and Andy was Becca's older brother. At the last minute Rye couldn't come so Claire went with them. During their trip in Aspen Rye came to Aspen. They were all surprised and asked why Rye was here.
4/27/10
In the book "Dream Girl" by Lauren Mechling. Clarie, her grandmother Kiki gave her a cameo. I like the part in the story when Claire drags Cheri-Lee to New Jersey to some poet workshop she wanted to get more facts about Sheila.
Page 239
"I'd come hoping Cheri-Lee would let something revealing about Sheila slip, but that didn't seem about to happen any time soon. She was too wrapped up in the conference to think about anything else. Was it possible that the second part of my dream, the part with the pizza, was where the secret treasure was hidden?"
What I have to say about this part is that Claire wanted more information about Sheila so she asked her mom Cheri-Lee. On Valentine's Day everybody was sending flowers and Claire received a flower.
Page 226-227
"The girl who came to our homeroom to hand out everyone's flowers introduced herself as Winnie. She had long oily hair and a habit of staring at the floor while she talked. She gave out flowers one by one, which would have made sense had every flower not been there for Sheila. After watching Sheila get up from her seat for the fiftienth time to accept a flower, I lost interest and turned my attention to Sofa City, a miniature comic book Ian had lent me. A few pages in, somebody pinched my arm.
"Claire Voyante?" Winnie was saying.
"Me?" There had to be a mistake unless Becca brought me a flower as a joke."
Claire thought that it was Sheila who sent her a flower. She had to get to the bottom of this. She didn't know how to get more information except to bring Cheri-Lee to the poet.
June 13, 2012
Claire Voyante is clairvoyant, although her visions have never shown her anything useful. For her fifteenth birthday, her grandmother Kiki Merriman gives her a gorgeous cameo that should direct her powers and allow her to find adventures. Claire doesn’t seem to be finding any adventures – she’s stuck at her new school. She becomes friends with Becca, another new girl who is less than thrilled to be a student at Henry Hudson. As they get to know the other’s family, Claire discovers the first of her grandmother’s promised adventures.
The adventure in DREAM GIRL is a fairly straightforward mystery, made frustrating by Claire’s inability to see the obvious direction of her visions. Rye and Andy’s relationship also seems underdone, as it’s never explained why he’s so devoted when she’s around and seems uninterested in her at other times. This seems like Claire should worry about it as she begins to fall for him since he could do the same to her. The other characters seem remarkably unconcerned about a possible romance between a fifteen-year-old girl and an eighteen-year-old in college. In fact, the characters who know about it encourage it.
It’s a shame that much of the book’s emphasis is put on these elements when Claire’s school and home life are far more interesting. Her father is a French professor and her parents hold a salon in their apartment, full of several colorful characters. Her school is full of them too. Ian carries a roller suitcase instead of a backpack and Eleanor effortlessly transcends the high school experience. Both of them are scene stealers who are tragically underused. Sheila, the queen bee, earns more screen time, which she deserves. She’s a nerd in popular girl clothing and her mom hints at even more hidden depths. Truly, all the characters are well-done and so are most of the relationships. I just don’t get Andy and Rye or Andy and Claire.
Becca, however, does deserve her screen time. She fully enjoys having a real friend and purposefully tells Claire little about herself at first. She's sweet and clever even if I get lost every time she starts waxing poetic about ketchup. (I do hate the stuff, since it's made from tomatoes. Blech.)
I enjoyed DREAM GIRL, but the A-plot doesn’t hold up to any of the subplots. The paranormal element feels extraneous and didn’t seem to add much to the book as a whole. I believe I prefer the 10th-Grade Social Climber books, which Lauren Mechling coauthored.
The adventure in DREAM GIRL is a fairly straightforward mystery, made frustrating by Claire’s inability to see the obvious direction of her visions. Rye and Andy’s relationship also seems underdone, as it’s never explained why he’s so devoted when she’s around and seems uninterested in her at other times. This seems like Claire should worry about it as she begins to fall for him since he could do the same to her. The other characters seem remarkably unconcerned about a possible romance between a fifteen-year-old girl and an eighteen-year-old in college. In fact, the characters who know about it encourage it.
It’s a shame that much of the book’s emphasis is put on these elements when Claire’s school and home life are far more interesting. Her father is a French professor and her parents hold a salon in their apartment, full of several colorful characters. Her school is full of them too. Ian carries a roller suitcase instead of a backpack and Eleanor effortlessly transcends the high school experience. Both of them are scene stealers who are tragically underused. Sheila, the queen bee, earns more screen time, which she deserves. She’s a nerd in popular girl clothing and her mom hints at even more hidden depths. Truly, all the characters are well-done and so are most of the relationships. I just don’t get Andy and Rye or Andy and Claire.
Becca, however, does deserve her screen time. She fully enjoys having a real friend and purposefully tells Claire little about herself at first. She's sweet and clever even if I get lost every time she starts waxing poetic about ketchup. (I do hate the stuff, since it's made from tomatoes. Blech.)
I enjoyed DREAM GIRL, but the A-plot doesn’t hold up to any of the subplots. The paranormal element feels extraneous and didn’t seem to add much to the book as a whole. I believe I prefer the 10th-Grade Social Climber books, which Lauren Mechling coauthored.
January 3, 2010
Dream Life is a charming read that combines the best of both worlds: Nancy Drew and Gossip Girls. Okay so I ran out of analogies. At any rate Dream Life is a mesh of high socialite without all the snarky backstabbing and a mystery that has the decency to don on a gorgeous yet sensible pair of boots before running around New York.
One of the best things I found refreshing from Dream Life was the family relationship. I was pleasantly surprised how much effect Mechling put in to the mother, the father, and the little brother. A majority of books I’ve read have yet to include any mentions of neither siblings nor parents and if they had, it was not to par to his family. Each member is as whimsical as Claire and as every bit as lovable.
Mechling does a wonderful job at foreshadowing as well as not foreshadowing. See the readers go on this roller coaster of random dreams with Claire. So if she’s lost, we’re also pretty much lost. And by that, I mean we get off topic. While I do appreciate the attempt at making things realistic in an otherwise fantasy-like genre it seems as though the story strays from the plot at various moments only to center itself once again like a speeding bullet. Ouch. It is towards the end does much make sense, but by then I had forgotten the dreams and clues all the way from the beginning. That said, it might be me; I mean I’m pretty forgetful and dense rolled into one.
The other main issue would have to be the friendship between Becca and Claire. I had a really hard time accepting this friendship as just that. It seemed more of a follower and leader rather then each of equal footing. Claire is constantly looking up to Becca sometimes letting a bit of her sense be clouded and reducing her to a puppy state of nature aiming to please the master. But then again I began to warm up to the duo and found it a nice partnership. Oh! Just a small little shout-out to Ian for his kick-butt evil radish comic. I can only imagine how awesome it would be if a comic book artist drew a small section of it and somehow manage to weave it in the book.
Overall: Dream Life needed a bit of kick start, but once it started moving it was a wholesome enjoyable read.
One of the best things I found refreshing from Dream Life was the family relationship. I was pleasantly surprised how much effect Mechling put in to the mother, the father, and the little brother. A majority of books I’ve read have yet to include any mentions of neither siblings nor parents and if they had, it was not to par to his family. Each member is as whimsical as Claire and as every bit as lovable.
Mechling does a wonderful job at foreshadowing as well as not foreshadowing. See the readers go on this roller coaster of random dreams with Claire. So if she’s lost, we’re also pretty much lost. And by that, I mean we get off topic. While I do appreciate the attempt at making things realistic in an otherwise fantasy-like genre it seems as though the story strays from the plot at various moments only to center itself once again like a speeding bullet. Ouch. It is towards the end does much make sense, but by then I had forgotten the dreams and clues all the way from the beginning. That said, it might be me; I mean I’m pretty forgetful and dense rolled into one.
The other main issue would have to be the friendship between Becca and Claire. I had a really hard time accepting this friendship as just that. It seemed more of a follower and leader rather then each of equal footing. Claire is constantly looking up to Becca sometimes letting a bit of her sense be clouded and reducing her to a puppy state of nature aiming to please the master. But then again I began to warm up to the duo and found it a nice partnership. Oh! Just a small little shout-out to Ian for his kick-butt evil radish comic. I can only imagine how awesome it would be if a comic book artist drew a small section of it and somehow manage to weave it in the book.
Overall: Dream Life needed a bit of kick start, but once it started moving it was a wholesome enjoyable read.
January 23, 2010
Dream Life is a charming read that combines the best of both worlds: Nancy Drew and Gossip Girls. Okay so I ran out of analogies. At any rate Dream Life is a mesh of high socialite without all the snarky backstabbing and a mystery that has the decency to don on a gorgeous yet sensible pair of boots before running around New York.
One of the best things I found refreshing from Dream Life was the family relationship. I was pleasantly surprised how much effect Mechling put in to the mother, the father, and the little brother. A majority of books I’ve read have yet to include any mentions of neither siblings nor parents and if they had, it was not to par to his family. Each member is as whimsical as Claire and as every bit as lovable.
Mechling does a wonderful job at foreshadowing as well as not foreshadowing. See the readers go on this roller coaster of random dreams with Claire. So if she’s lost, we’re also pretty much lost. And by that, I mean we get off topic. While I do appreciate the attempt at making things realistic in an otherwise fantasy-like genre it seems as though the story strays from the plot at various moments only to center itself once again like a speeding bullet. Ouch. It is towards the end does much make sense, but by then I had forgotten the dreams and clues all the way from the beginning. That said, it might be me; I mean I’m pretty forgetful and dense rolled into one.
The other main issue would have to be the friendship between Becca and Claire. I had a really hard time accepting this friendship as just that. It seemed more of a follower and leader rather then each of equal footing. Claire is constantly looking up to Becca sometimes letting a bit of her sense be clouded and reducing her to a puppy state of nature aiming to please the master. But then again I began to warm up to the duo and found it a nice partnership. Oh! Just a small little shout-out to Ian for his kick-butt evil radish comic. I can only imagine how awesome it would be if a comic book artist drew a small section of it and somehow manage to weave it in the book.
Overall: Dream Life needed a bit of kick start, but once it started moving it was a wholesome enjoyable read.
One of the best things I found refreshing from Dream Life was the family relationship. I was pleasantly surprised how much effect Mechling put in to the mother, the father, and the little brother. A majority of books I’ve read have yet to include any mentions of neither siblings nor parents and if they had, it was not to par to his family. Each member is as whimsical as Claire and as every bit as lovable.
Mechling does a wonderful job at foreshadowing as well as not foreshadowing. See the readers go on this roller coaster of random dreams with Claire. So if she’s lost, we’re also pretty much lost. And by that, I mean we get off topic. While I do appreciate the attempt at making things realistic in an otherwise fantasy-like genre it seems as though the story strays from the plot at various moments only to center itself once again like a speeding bullet. Ouch. It is towards the end does much make sense, but by then I had forgotten the dreams and clues all the way from the beginning. That said, it might be me; I mean I’m pretty forgetful and dense rolled into one.
The other main issue would have to be the friendship between Becca and Claire. I had a really hard time accepting this friendship as just that. It seemed more of a follower and leader rather then each of equal footing. Claire is constantly looking up to Becca sometimes letting a bit of her sense be clouded and reducing her to a puppy state of nature aiming to please the master. But then again I began to warm up to the duo and found it a nice partnership. Oh! Just a small little shout-out to Ian for his kick-butt evil radish comic. I can only imagine how awesome it would be if a comic book artist drew a small section of it and somehow manage to weave it in the book.
Overall: Dream Life needed a bit of kick start, but once it started moving it was a wholesome enjoyable read.
January 26, 2010
Claire Voyante has always had strange dreams and visions for as long as she can remember. Although, her parents bestowing her the name "Claire Voyante" is definitely coincidental - they know nothing of her visions. She's in the middle of switching schools, and her lack of friends is obvious. She's on the outside of the popular girl group (which contains her best friend from childhood), and her new school is overwhelmingly dull. Up until her 15th birthday Claire thought the dreams and visions were useless, but when her Grandmother Kiki gives her a cameo and tells her to only take it off for showers, she begins to question the meaning behind the necklace. Her visions begin to take hold and she's seeing flashes of them in her waking life. With little help from Kiki, Claire realizes what must be done, she must follow the clues she sees to find out where they take her and what they really mean.
Dream Girl is a good Young Adult Mystery book. I was disappointed in Claire's visions. There wasn't a lot of them and they were pretty short. The mystery needing to be solved involves Claire's new friend Becca and her family. Claire getting in the middle of a family battle is very dangerous and the steps it takes to solve the mystery are kind of unbelievable. But the characters ARE believable and original, and Claire is a likable protagonist. I think my favorite part was Claire's family and other people who live in her apartment building. They are quirky and fun, and even though Claire spends most of her time being embarrassed by them I still enjoyed them. Kiki is also an interesting part of the story, and I think it shows a lot of maturity in Claire that she can hang around and have dinner parties with Kiki's fashionable friends. The back drop for the story is New York City which always allows characters more freedom in their activities and places to visit.
This one was kind of a slow start for me, it took a while for me to really get into Claire's voice. I also felt like the writing got better the further into the book. Once Claire figures out how to use her visions the story really picks up pace and gets exciting. I think Dream Girl is a good read for fans of mysteries and young adult novels.
Dream Girl is a good Young Adult Mystery book. I was disappointed in Claire's visions. There wasn't a lot of them and they were pretty short. The mystery needing to be solved involves Claire's new friend Becca and her family. Claire getting in the middle of a family battle is very dangerous and the steps it takes to solve the mystery are kind of unbelievable. But the characters ARE believable and original, and Claire is a likable protagonist. I think my favorite part was Claire's family and other people who live in her apartment building. They are quirky and fun, and even though Claire spends most of her time being embarrassed by them I still enjoyed them. Kiki is also an interesting part of the story, and I think it shows a lot of maturity in Claire that she can hang around and have dinner parties with Kiki's fashionable friends. The back drop for the story is New York City which always allows characters more freedom in their activities and places to visit.
This one was kind of a slow start for me, it took a while for me to really get into Claire's voice. I also felt like the writing got better the further into the book. Once Claire figures out how to use her visions the story really picks up pace and gets exciting. I think Dream Girl is a good read for fans of mysteries and young adult novels.
November 23, 2008
Having just finished Sight by Vrettos, I’m starting to see the many parallels between stories with a similar plot. It’s hard to be creative when you’re writing a story that’s been told way too many times to count. However, I do give Lauren Mechling props for making catchy phrases. She likes to play with her words, hence Dream Girl (which doesn’t mean Girl of Your Dreams, but literally a girl who has visions at night) and Claire Voyante (clairvoyant: someone who sees the future—get it?). Still, for future references, I’d like to note all these parallels and hope for another author to make The Girl Who Can See the Future different and refreshing.
1. Sort-of-obvious titles. Sight is pretty self explanatory, but Dream Girl is a good pun.
2. Grandmothers are, apparently, the go-to persons. In these novels, they’re usually quirky but wise and perceptive. They also have some sort of “power” themselves so that they can educate the younger generation about their “gift”.
3. The one with visions is ALWAYS a girl. I’d like someone to try a guy’s point of view once.
4. The “gift” skips a generation. Honestly. The mothers are always the normal ones, ability wise. Why is that, anyway?
5. Usually, there’s some kind of family heirloom passed down. Here, it’s a cameo that enhances Claire’s visions.
6. There’s always a best friend that they either can’t or cannot confide in.
7. They hunt down murderers using their perceptive visions and amateurish detective work.
8. To add on to number seven, said protagonists always saves the day with her amateur investigation skills. Totally unrealistic, if you ask me.
9. To add on again, most of the detective work is reserved for the very end. Apparently, that’s when the protagonists become super sharp and notice all the odds and ends that add up to the bigger picture. One defining moment, as they like to call it.
10. Usually, these stories involve a new girl or boy in town to act as the scapegoat or future best friend forever or boyfriend.
11. I think it’s just a coincidence here, but be prepared for names of the characters to start with the letter C.
1. Sort-of-obvious titles. Sight is pretty self explanatory, but Dream Girl is a good pun.
2. Grandmothers are, apparently, the go-to persons. In these novels, they’re usually quirky but wise and perceptive. They also have some sort of “power” themselves so that they can educate the younger generation about their “gift”.
3. The one with visions is ALWAYS a girl. I’d like someone to try a guy’s point of view once.
4. The “gift” skips a generation. Honestly. The mothers are always the normal ones, ability wise. Why is that, anyway?
5. Usually, there’s some kind of family heirloom passed down. Here, it’s a cameo that enhances Claire’s visions.
6. There’s always a best friend that they either can’t or cannot confide in.
7. They hunt down murderers using their perceptive visions and amateurish detective work.
8. To add on to number seven, said protagonists always saves the day with her amateur investigation skills. Totally unrealistic, if you ask me.
9. To add on again, most of the detective work is reserved for the very end. Apparently, that’s when the protagonists become super sharp and notice all the odds and ends that add up to the bigger picture. One defining moment, as they like to call it.
10. Usually, these stories involve a new girl or boy in town to act as the scapegoat or future best friend forever or boyfriend.
11. I think it’s just a coincidence here, but be prepared for names of the characters to start with the letter C.
January 21, 2010
About the Book: Claire Voyante (it's French) has always been having strange visions that lead her nowhere. But when her grandmother gives her a cameo necklace, Claire starts to have dreams she can't explain. When the dreams start to lead her to a mystery involving her new best friend, Claire becomes a detective, piecing the clues together in order to save her friend's life.
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I love Claire!! This book was so much fun. Claire was a blast to read about.
Dream Girl has some mystery elements, but they come into play later in the story that I hesitate to call this one a true mystery. Instead it strikes me as chick lit with some mystery in it-which makes it a little more fun. Even though I was expecting more mystery, I was so caught up in reading about Claire, her new school, her new friend Becca, and her eccentric grandmother Kiki, that I kept reading and didn't care the mystery was lighter than I expected.
Claire is a great narrator. She's smart, she's shy and she's coming into her own throughout the novel. As a former shy girl in school, I've been really excited about the shy narrators I've been reading about lately. Let the shy girl shine!
I adore Claire's family. Her brother Henry is adorable (although she might not think so), and her parents are so quirky and fun. It seems that so many times there are negative family dynamics in YA, I get excited when I see a family that actually enjoys spending time with each other. Even Claire's best friend Becca's family is one I would love to hang out with for an afternoon. And I would love to adopt her grandmother Kiki, a former Broadway showgirl who now lives in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
The writing was fast paced and the dialouge was snappy. The cast of characters is well rounded and each character added something to the story. I'll be following this one up with the sequel Dream Life, which is good news, since I can't wait to read more about Claire.
Full Disclosure: Review copy provided by author
GreenBeanTeenQueen Says: I love Claire!! This book was so much fun. Claire was a blast to read about.
Dream Girl has some mystery elements, but they come into play later in the story that I hesitate to call this one a true mystery. Instead it strikes me as chick lit with some mystery in it-which makes it a little more fun. Even though I was expecting more mystery, I was so caught up in reading about Claire, her new school, her new friend Becca, and her eccentric grandmother Kiki, that I kept reading and didn't care the mystery was lighter than I expected.
Claire is a great narrator. She's smart, she's shy and she's coming into her own throughout the novel. As a former shy girl in school, I've been really excited about the shy narrators I've been reading about lately. Let the shy girl shine!
I adore Claire's family. Her brother Henry is adorable (although she might not think so), and her parents are so quirky and fun. It seems that so many times there are negative family dynamics in YA, I get excited when I see a family that actually enjoys spending time with each other. Even Claire's best friend Becca's family is one I would love to hang out with for an afternoon. And I would love to adopt her grandmother Kiki, a former Broadway showgirl who now lives in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
The writing was fast paced and the dialouge was snappy. The cast of characters is well rounded and each character added something to the story. I'll be following this one up with the sequel Dream Life, which is good news, since I can't wait to read more about Claire.
Full Disclosure: Review copy provided by author
August 17, 2008
Claire Voyante has been unfortunately named. Sure, she’s been having strange dreams and visions since she can remember, but they’ve never led her anywhere. Besides, the name is French. But on Claire’s fifteenth birthday, her fashionable grandmother Kiki gives her a strange cameo made of onyx and ivory and tells Claire to wear it at all times. Suddenly, Claire’s visions become clearer, although black-and-white. And though she’s become very sleep-deprived due to these dreams, she starts to follow her hunches as her grandmother Kiki told her to, and to her surprise, she finds herself in the middle of a dangerous and old feud between two families. So, if Claire can just survive the horrors of her new high school, she just might be able to use her talent to save some lives.
Dream Girl has a little bit of action, romance, and mysticism, all of which fit together perfectly. Claire’s dreams, though random, were very interesting to read, and I was always wondering where they would lead her next. I also really liked Claire’s character; though she was a little insecure at times, she learned to trust her instincts, which led to new friends, adventures, and, unfortunately, enemies. I really enjoyed how Claire had to use her wits to follow each new clue, and it was pretty exciting to read along as Claire snuck around. It was also pretty interesting to see Claire’s grandmother Kiki’s lavish lifestyle as well as Claire’s international exploits. Another plus was the other wacky characters in the story who kept the plot amusing. Together, the unique plot and characters really made Dream Girl an amazing story.
Dream Girl was definitely a satisfying and thrilling read that I recommend to all readers. Fans of stories with high style, high school, and high mystery will enjoy this novel. I hope there will be a sequel to this fantastic story, or at least another great novel from Lauren Mechling.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
Dream Girl has a little bit of action, romance, and mysticism, all of which fit together perfectly. Claire’s dreams, though random, were very interesting to read, and I was always wondering where they would lead her next. I also really liked Claire’s character; though she was a little insecure at times, she learned to trust her instincts, which led to new friends, adventures, and, unfortunately, enemies. I really enjoyed how Claire had to use her wits to follow each new clue, and it was pretty exciting to read along as Claire snuck around. It was also pretty interesting to see Claire’s grandmother Kiki’s lavish lifestyle as well as Claire’s international exploits. Another plus was the other wacky characters in the story who kept the plot amusing. Together, the unique plot and characters really made Dream Girl an amazing story.
Dream Girl was definitely a satisfying and thrilling read that I recommend to all readers. Fans of stories with high style, high school, and high mystery will enjoy this novel. I hope there will be a sequel to this fantastic story, or at least another great novel from Lauren Mechling.
reposted from http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com
December 31, 2014
Dream Girl is about a girl named Claire Voyante (BEST NAME EVER, huh?) who's been having dreams. Sounds pretty ordinary enough, but in her dreams, she'll see symbols that eventually pop up in the near future. When her grandmother Kiki gives Claire a mysterious cameo necklace, these dreams begin to have even more importance, to the point where her "talent" can save her new friend's life.
I had this book on my want list for quite a while, and I got it for Christmas along with The Rise and Fall of a Tenth Grade Social Climber, which I read first and enjoyed a lot. It wasn't until after I read that and picked up Dream Girl that I saw Lauren Mechling was the author of both. I already had high hopes for the book because it dealt with a subject matter I don't see often in fiction, and am very interested in. When I saw Lauren Mechling wrote it, I knew it'd become a favorite.
Like with The Rise and Fall of a Tenth Grade Social Climber, it's the details that really set this book apart. Most other teen books are so vague, but with all that's thrown in here, I really feel like it's a very convincing portrayal of teen life. All of the characters have little idiosyncracies that I delighted in picking up on, such as Claire's obsession with Agatha Christie, and like Agatha Christie, Claire has a little mystery to solve in this book. It's something of severe importance, but I call it "little" because someone would have to be a fool not to figure out who the victim was ahead of time. Some people undoubtedly gave this less stars just because they felt the mystery was bare bones, but I love it more for its teen aspect. It reminds me of Meg Cabot's way of giving ordinary girls some crazy attributes--one a princess, or the girl who saved the president's life--yet somehow keeping their lives the same. Claire's foretelling dreams are way out of the ordinary, but her life retains the same teen aspect.
I had this book on my want list for quite a while, and I got it for Christmas along with The Rise and Fall of a Tenth Grade Social Climber, which I read first and enjoyed a lot. It wasn't until after I read that and picked up Dream Girl that I saw Lauren Mechling was the author of both. I already had high hopes for the book because it dealt with a subject matter I don't see often in fiction, and am very interested in. When I saw Lauren Mechling wrote it, I knew it'd become a favorite.
Like with The Rise and Fall of a Tenth Grade Social Climber, it's the details that really set this book apart. Most other teen books are so vague, but with all that's thrown in here, I really feel like it's a very convincing portrayal of teen life. All of the characters have little idiosyncracies that I delighted in picking up on, such as Claire's obsession with Agatha Christie, and like Agatha Christie, Claire has a little mystery to solve in this book. It's something of severe importance, but I call it "little" because someone would have to be a fool not to figure out who the victim was ahead of time. Some people undoubtedly gave this less stars just because they felt the mystery was bare bones, but I love it more for its teen aspect. It reminds me of Meg Cabot's way of giving ordinary girls some crazy attributes--one a princess, or the girl who saved the president's life--yet somehow keeping their lives the same. Claire's foretelling dreams are way out of the ordinary, but her life retains the same teen aspect.
May 22, 2010
Dream Girl was a witty, original, and well developed read. Claire, the main character, was awesome. She was smart, interesting, and kept me wanting to know what was going to happen next. Mechling also has a great writing style, it's expressive and funny. The twists in the plot kept me wondering how things would end up, and the variety of interesting characters added a lot to the story.
Claire was a main character that just shone off the pages. At fifteen, she'd been through a lot and was a lot more adventurous then I ever was. Her family also played a large role in the story. Not only her parents, but her brother and grandmother, as well. Each of them had their own quirky traits that made them stand out right from the start. Kiki (her grandmother) and Claire had a great connection and Kiki was the only one that really believed/understood what Claire was going through.
This leads to me to the physic/mystery part of the novel. Claire's dreams and the mystery surrounding the necklace are a nice side to the story, but not the main plot. I did like how they helped her solve the mystery at the end and while I was not completely surprised at who the culprit was, it was an intriguing side to the book.
As I mentioned before, the characters are all unique and interesting. There is the typical mean girl clique, but they do get their comeuppance in the end. Claire's lunch crew were endearing and definitely full of individuality. Becca, Claire's best friend, was a great character that played a big role, especially in the mystery angle.
Dream Girl was an overall sweet and exciting read that will take you into Claire's life for a few hours. It really left me looking forward to the sequel, Dream Life. I'm also anxious to see where the physic angle goes, as well as seeing what role my favorite characters play, and what new ones are introduced.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
Claire was a main character that just shone off the pages. At fifteen, she'd been through a lot and was a lot more adventurous then I ever was. Her family also played a large role in the story. Not only her parents, but her brother and grandmother, as well. Each of them had their own quirky traits that made them stand out right from the start. Kiki (her grandmother) and Claire had a great connection and Kiki was the only one that really believed/understood what Claire was going through.
This leads to me to the physic/mystery part of the novel. Claire's dreams and the mystery surrounding the necklace are a nice side to the story, but not the main plot. I did like how they helped her solve the mystery at the end and while I was not completely surprised at who the culprit was, it was an intriguing side to the book.
As I mentioned before, the characters are all unique and interesting. There is the typical mean girl clique, but they do get their comeuppance in the end. Claire's lunch crew were endearing and definitely full of individuality. Becca, Claire's best friend, was a great character that played a big role, especially in the mystery angle.
Dream Girl was an overall sweet and exciting read that will take you into Claire's life for a few hours. It really left me looking forward to the sequel, Dream Life. I'm also anxious to see where the physic angle goes, as well as seeing what role my favorite characters play, and what new ones are introduced.
Overall: 4 out of 5 stars
July 3, 2010
The novel Dream Girl definitely relies on it's original, likeable characters to keep the story afloat. It's narrated by Claire Voyante, aptly named due to her psychic visions. Unfortunately all of those visions have never helped her in life and usually end up making her feel awkward. Claire is starting a new school, full of overly studious, unfriendly classmates and strict teachers. It's a far cry from her previous haven at her alternative private school. Then Claire's grandmother- Kiki, an ettiquette obsessed socialite who doubles as her best friend- gives her a cameo necklace for her fifteenth birthday. When Claire wears it she starts having eerie, seemingly meaningless black and white dreams. Meanwhile she is being bullied by her former best friend and finding a friend in Becca, a stylish ketchup heiress who also feels out of place at their school. One reason I enjoyed this book was I could relate to Claire so well. The details about her over crowded apartment, love of all things Agatha Christie, and slightly dysfunctional family made her seem all the more real. But after one hundred and fifty or so pages of building up the story and introducing characters, the story fell flat. Once the three hundred year old feud between Becca's family and their rivals was introduced and it became clear that Claire's dreams were leading her to help them, the story tapered off. The mystery surrounding this feud seeemed half-hearted and the plot seemed like an afterthought. The villains were all cliche and Claire's psychic dreams became redundant. But towards the end the story picked up once more, as our sleuth's escapades took her across western Europe. The details of high fashion and literature give this story class and the ending was sweet if predictable. Dream Girl's conclusion seems open to the possibility of a sequel, and if one is published I'll be sure to read it.
January 25, 2012
Claire has dreams, not like everyone else does though. The things she sees in her dreams she witnesses again in real life. She's not sure why she sees them though and after her grandmother, Kiki, gives her a cameo necklace she begins to dream more often, and in black and white. On top of all this Claire is starting at a new school, and doesn't really have any friends going into it. One day she sees an airplane ring and decides she wants to know the girl who's hand it's on. The girl's name is Becca Shuttleworth, like the Shuttleworth ketchup industry. This book takes you through all the ups, downs, ins and outs Claire has to go through with new friends, detective work, and old grudges.
This book started off interesting enough, Claire following one of her dreams, but eventually it got semi-unrealistic. The mystery/detective part was still good, but the "real life" part didn't seem to be flowing as nicely. Then it all got good again when the pieces of the mystery started to come together, but then the ending was like a cheesy teen flick. I really enjoyed the whole she dreams clues that she has to figure out and put together to solve a mysterything. I would definitely say this is a good summer read because it's light, fun and a very quick read. I wish there was more of the mystery part of the book though, and maybe some of the real life bits, but the real life bits in this book just didn't work out. They were very abrupt and you didn't really know the whole story. If this was a sequel that would make more sense, because then you would already know the background and so the grudges and snip-its of the past would be familiar instead of just randomly thrown in. All in all this was a decent read, something you can pick up and breeze through.
This book started off interesting enough, Claire following one of her dreams, but eventually it got semi-unrealistic. The mystery/detective part was still good, but the "real life" part didn't seem to be flowing as nicely. Then it all got good again when the pieces of the mystery started to come together, but then the ending was like a cheesy teen flick. I really enjoyed the whole she dreams clues that she has to figure out and put together to solve a mysterything. I would definitely say this is a good summer read because it's light, fun and a very quick read. I wish there was more of the mystery part of the book though, and maybe some of the real life bits, but the real life bits in this book just didn't work out. They were very abrupt and you didn't really know the whole story. If this was a sequel that would make more sense, because then you would already know the background and so the grudges and snip-its of the past would be familiar instead of just randomly thrown in. All in all this was a decent read, something you can pick up and breeze through.
January 4, 2016
will admit that I judged a book by its cover. Dream Girl has this kind of over flowery, white dress, far away look vibe happening on the cover. I thought I was going to hate it. When my tween daughter suggested that we pick it up because it was in the bargain bin at the local Chapters, I was almost certain it was going to be awful. Thankfully we read it, and it turned out to be far different than I thought.
Claire Voyante—yes, that’s her real name and the ridiculousness of it is addressed quickly within the novel—is a young girl who is experiencing a huge upheaval in her life. She’s going from one school, an alternative farm-like school, to a new public school that seems to be focused solely on the academic achievement of its students. She has to make friends and deal with the fact that her previous best friend who hates her goes to the same school. On top of that, she’s having weird odd dreams that seem to be trying to tell her something.
The story deals with all of that, but at its heart it is a kind of magical mystery story.
.................
This is a great book for someone getting interested in mystery, but who also likes a dash of social drama and a hint of romance. There isn’t anything particularly troubling about this book, even the dreams which could be ready fodder for nightmare fuel are more confusing and prophetic rather than scary and terrifying. Younger tweens might get a little bored and annoyed by the romance part of it, but your budding tweens might get a kick out of it and again it’s not over the top when it comes to feelings. A surprisingly good read, probably for 10 and up.
Read the rest of the review at reads4tweens.com
Claire Voyante—yes, that’s her real name and the ridiculousness of it is addressed quickly within the novel—is a young girl who is experiencing a huge upheaval in her life. She’s going from one school, an alternative farm-like school, to a new public school that seems to be focused solely on the academic achievement of its students. She has to make friends and deal with the fact that her previous best friend who hates her goes to the same school. On top of that, she’s having weird odd dreams that seem to be trying to tell her something.
The story deals with all of that, but at its heart it is a kind of magical mystery story.
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This is a great book for someone getting interested in mystery, but who also likes a dash of social drama and a hint of romance. There isn’t anything particularly troubling about this book, even the dreams which could be ready fodder for nightmare fuel are more confusing and prophetic rather than scary and terrifying. Younger tweens might get a little bored and annoyed by the romance part of it, but your budding tweens might get a kick out of it and again it’s not over the top when it comes to feelings. A surprisingly good read, probably for 10 and up.
Read the rest of the review at reads4tweens.com
December 28, 2014
Dream Girl is about a young woman having this sort of eerie dreams that intends her to do unexplainable things because the messages of her dream were kind of indistinct. Claire Voyante is putting herself to awkward situations because of her nonsense dreams and is making her life miserable since she can’t seem to point out the real message of her bizarre dreams. Not until her sophisticated and alluring grandmother Kiki, gave her a cameo as a present which finally leads her to a clearer type of dreams and more ideas for her to use and comprehend. She didn’t know when and how to use her gift until Becca, her friend and only friend in school gets to trouble. It’s up to her to get to the bottom of the crime and fix the puzzle by putting together the clues from her dreams and she has to do it with only her pesky black and white dreams to back her up. My favorite character is Claire, since she was the only one in spotlight most of the time though her character for me didn’t develop much and her presence or her impact was not that strong.
The book was good still readable though not quite remarkable. Best part, none for me. Most of the scenes were a little dull and colorless. If I could change one thing it definitely would be the ending because it lacks the hype or the thing that will make the book unforgettable. Also the characters were not fully used like some of them were just there for the sake of a conversation.
I recommend the book for those who seek a light reading material, no burning of nerve cells here guys.
The book was good still readable though not quite remarkable. Best part, none for me. Most of the scenes were a little dull and colorless. If I could change one thing it definitely would be the ending because it lacks the hype or the thing that will make the book unforgettable. Also the characters were not fully used like some of them were just there for the sake of a conversation.
I recommend the book for those who seek a light reading material, no burning of nerve cells here guys.
November 17, 2012
Reviewed by Breanna F. for TeensReadToo.com
Claire Voyante (yes, that is her real name) has had strange visions ever since she was little. She's never been able to do anything with them, but that all changes on her fifteenth birthday when her grandmother, Kiki, gives her a beautiful cameo made out of onyx and ivory on a gold chain. Pretty soon she starts having these strange black and white dreams.
While these dreams start occurring, Claire is in a new school and has made a fabulous new friend, Becca. Becca happens to be part of a very rich family and she has a very attractive brother named Andy, but he has a beautiful, stuck-up girlfriend. When Claire starts having her dreams, she's afraid that they might have something to do with a family that has always had it out for Becca's family, and she's worried that they might be in danger.
With her powerful cameo Claire might actually be able to solve this mystery! At least that's what she hopes.
DREAM GIRL was a really cute book. It was even a great sort of mystery. I actually wasn't even sure how the book was going to end, but I did like the ending. Ms. Mechling gives her characters such strong and humorous voices. Claire and Kiki were my favorite characters. I love how they acted together. And I also thought the flirting between Andy and Claire was totally adorable.
Basically, this is just a really fun and light read. And isn't the cover adorable? I fell in love with it instantly!
Claire Voyante (yes, that is her real name) has had strange visions ever since she was little. She's never been able to do anything with them, but that all changes on her fifteenth birthday when her grandmother, Kiki, gives her a beautiful cameo made out of onyx and ivory on a gold chain. Pretty soon she starts having these strange black and white dreams.
While these dreams start occurring, Claire is in a new school and has made a fabulous new friend, Becca. Becca happens to be part of a very rich family and she has a very attractive brother named Andy, but he has a beautiful, stuck-up girlfriend. When Claire starts having her dreams, she's afraid that they might have something to do with a family that has always had it out for Becca's family, and she's worried that they might be in danger.
With her powerful cameo Claire might actually be able to solve this mystery! At least that's what she hopes.
DREAM GIRL was a really cute book. It was even a great sort of mystery. I actually wasn't even sure how the book was going to end, but I did like the ending. Ms. Mechling gives her characters such strong and humorous voices. Claire and Kiki were my favorite characters. I love how they acted together. And I also thought the flirting between Andy and Claire was totally adorable.
Basically, this is just a really fun and light read. And isn't the cover adorable? I fell in love with it instantly!
December 22, 2009
Dream Girl mixes the eerie dream-filled suspense of Wake with the clue cracking mystery of Nancy Drew, and in result, brings you a totally new adventure that will have you flipping page after page.
I’ve heard a lot of so-so things about this one, but I’m one of the people who actually really enjoyed it. Claire, the main character and narrator, is probably one of the most amusing and likeable characters I’ve ever read about. She’s quirky, snarky, and sarcastic but Mechling writes her so incredibly endearing that she has been put on my favorite list of female heroines.
Despite how much I enjoyed it, the story didn’t seem to begin to take off until the very end. A good chunk of the story is spent exploring Claire’s whacky life, the people in it, and the strange cameo necklace that her eccentric grandmother, Kiki, gave her for her birthday. When she begins to have the weird black and white dreams, and she starts to put the clues together, it all feels kind of rushed. I’d say that was about the only thing that irked me.
Dream Girl is humorous, suspenseful and definitely worth the read. If you haven’t checked it out, I definitely recommend it!
I’ve heard a lot of so-so things about this one, but I’m one of the people who actually really enjoyed it. Claire, the main character and narrator, is probably one of the most amusing and likeable characters I’ve ever read about. She’s quirky, snarky, and sarcastic but Mechling writes her so incredibly endearing that she has been put on my favorite list of female heroines.
Despite how much I enjoyed it, the story didn’t seem to begin to take off until the very end. A good chunk of the story is spent exploring Claire’s whacky life, the people in it, and the strange cameo necklace that her eccentric grandmother, Kiki, gave her for her birthday. When she begins to have the weird black and white dreams, and she starts to put the clues together, it all feels kind of rushed. I’d say that was about the only thing that irked me.
Dream Girl is humorous, suspenseful and definitely worth the read. If you haven’t checked it out, I definitely recommend it!
September 29, 2008
Claire Voyante is trying to figure out what her dreams mean, after finding dead ends and a move to another school, she meets her best friend, Becca and her ex-best friend Sheila (who's bent on embarrassing her). Then Claire meets Andy, Becca's older brother, she instantly gets a crush on him but he has a girl friend. Becca is being stocked and Claire tries to find out who it is, Kiki, her grandmother, helps Claire along the way. The theme of the book is following your gut even if it leads you to a rough situation it can also help you out of it.
If you seen "Mean Girls" you have an idea of what Sheila is up to in this book. The leader of the popular girls in the movie wanted Lindsay Lohan's character to join them. And Sheila wanted Claire to join her group and Claire stood up to them, causing a series of embarrassing situations for Claire. Overall I liked the book, it leaves you with a few questions, and like all good books you want more. I only wish that Claire would stand up more against Sheila, if Sheila has dirt on her, Claire probably does too.
If you seen "Mean Girls" you have an idea of what Sheila is up to in this book. The leader of the popular girls in the movie wanted Lindsay Lohan's character to join them. And Sheila wanted Claire to join her group and Claire stood up to them, causing a series of embarrassing situations for Claire. Overall I liked the book, it leaves you with a few questions, and like all good books you want more. I only wish that Claire would stand up more against Sheila, if Sheila has dirt on her, Claire probably does too.
January 16, 2010
Claire falls into her first “case” which involves her new best friend Becca, heiress to a ketchup empire, and Becca’s family’s sworn enemies.
First off, let me just say that I adore Claire. Her wry narration had me in stitches throughout. One of my favorite instances being when she’s trying to figure out how to tell Becca that she can’t ski while headed out to the slopes in Aspen: “If I didn’t speak up fast, I’d end up communicating it via my full body cast.” (p 175)
Both Claire and her friend Becca are so refreshingly non-stereotypical, you just want to hug them – and then move to this fictional NYC and hang out with them (and borrow their clothes!). The supporting characters, from Claire’s Francophile parents who throw regular salons in their West Village apartment to aspiring comic book artist/wheelie-bag toting Ian and other Henry Hudson High classmates, are all well drawn and add pleasing layers to the light, engaging narrative.
The sequel, DREAM LIFE, is just as fun, and I’d definitely be up for more books in this series.
First off, let me just say that I adore Claire. Her wry narration had me in stitches throughout. One of my favorite instances being when she’s trying to figure out how to tell Becca that she can’t ski while headed out to the slopes in Aspen: “If I didn’t speak up fast, I’d end up communicating it via my full body cast.” (p 175)
Both Claire and her friend Becca are so refreshingly non-stereotypical, you just want to hug them – and then move to this fictional NYC and hang out with them (and borrow their clothes!). The supporting characters, from Claire’s Francophile parents who throw regular salons in their West Village apartment to aspiring comic book artist/wheelie-bag toting Ian and other Henry Hudson High classmates, are all well drawn and add pleasing layers to the light, engaging narrative.
The sequel, DREAM LIFE, is just as fun, and I’d definitely be up for more books in this series.
August 18, 2011
Dream Girl was a really cute book. I loved the story line, the mystery, and the characters. The writing was fantastic. Dream Girl is a light reading with everything going its way.
I loved what Lauren Mechling did with all the characters. Claire was such an enjoyable character. She had such a witty, great voice. There were a few characters had an attitude and were kind of snotty, but Lauren Mechling included these heart-to-heart moments that really made you connect with them, making them seem more human. Then you had Claire's parents, who were always doing something to make you laugh.
The story was light, and was one you drifted through. Towards the end, the mystery aspect of Dream Girl picked up a load and I found myself much more caught up in the story. The end left me begging to hear more to the fantastic story I got so caught up in! Thank goodness the sequel, Dream Life, came out this week!
I loved what Lauren Mechling did with all the characters. Claire was such an enjoyable character. She had such a witty, great voice. There were a few characters had an attitude and were kind of snotty, but Lauren Mechling included these heart-to-heart moments that really made you connect with them, making them seem more human. Then you had Claire's parents, who were always doing something to make you laugh.
The story was light, and was one you drifted through. Towards the end, the mystery aspect of Dream Girl picked up a load and I found myself much more caught up in the story. The end left me begging to hear more to the fantastic story I got so caught up in! Thank goodness the sequel, Dream Life, came out this week!
July 22, 2010
This was a very cute, light read, with good humor and not too much inappropriate content. Claire Voyante (who has pyshic dreams!), the main character, lives in New York City, and because her father is French, her family makes at least one trip to France every year. The setting and the freedom this girl has to go out and tour the city is definitely exciting. In spite of her wonderful home city, Claire feels as though she's dropped to the bottom of the social ladder once she enters her sophomore year at a new school that is serious about good grades and hard to get into.
She goes through the torment of a silly girls' clique called the BDLs, she finally makes a best friend who turns out to have a big secret, and she has to figure out what mystery her dreams are leading her to solve. In the end, she saves her best friend by solving the mystery, but I'm not going to give that away. Overall, this was a good book, if you're into lighthearted mysteries with a girly twist.
She goes through the torment of a silly girls' clique called the BDLs, she finally makes a best friend who turns out to have a big secret, and she has to figure out what mystery her dreams are leading her to solve. In the end, she saves her best friend by solving the mystery, but I'm not going to give that away. Overall, this was a good book, if you're into lighthearted mysteries with a girly twist.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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