Carlisle's Hope

The Carlisle Chronicles #1

by Norma Johnston

In this first in the Carlisle Chronicles series, Jess uses a school project and some documents her aunt left her to track down some interesting family history.

Genres: Young Adult

Paperback

First published January 1, 1986

About the author

Norma Johnston was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey, USA, the only child of Marjorie (Pierce), a teacher and Charles Eugene Chambers Johnston, an engineer. She read voraciously--especially mysteries, to which her family was addicted. She was ducated at Ramsey public schools and Montclair State College, later studied acting at the American Theatre Wing and elsewhere, and received a teaching certificate from Montclair College. She was actress, director, designer, stylist, retailer, teacher, counselor, entrepreneur, preacher, editor, ... and in between all her other careers she was the author of more than 70 novels, mainly gothic romances for teens. She become a a full-time writer in 1973.

Johnston also wrote under the pseudonyms of Nicole St. John, Pamela Dryden, Lavinia Harris, Kate Chambers, Catherine E. Chambers, Elizabeth Bolton, and Adrian Robert.

Reviews

[Ami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have spent the past weekend recovering from the flu. In the beginning there was much bingeing of Netflix (oh Person of Interest my love for you is true and deep) but as the weekend wore on I sought refuge from the hacking and dripping realities of my life in rereading the books of my youth.
I remember adoring The Carlisle Chronicles with their historic house in Washington DC, private school dramas involving a diverse and colorful student body, and a father who worked in the U.S. Information Agency (which sounded so debonair and sophisticated.)
While I wasn't as infatuated reading them as an adult, I still enjoyed these novels. That being said, I do think that Carlisle's Hope (the first book in the series) is the weakest one of the bunch. The main character, Jess, comes off pretty over dramatic and ridiculous at times, especially given what she's freaking out about: discovering her great grandfather was adopted and she has no actual Carlisle DNA running through her veins. GASP! (She has a best friend who is struggling with an alcoholic mother, but no it is Jess's struggle that takes center stage. Ridiculous.)
Still, the book does a good job of setting up the Carlisle world and despite being over 30 years old, it is still readable and relevant.

[Sharon Buxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

C. fiction, YA, family history, family relations, series, (Carlisle Chronicles, #1), Mom's stash, discard