Product details:
Publisher: Quercus.
Paperback, 352 pages.
Release date: July 4th 2013.
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Ages: 15+
Source:Received from publisher for review.
Pia is living the dream: fresh out of college and sharing a house in Brooklyn with her best friends. So why is everything so complicated?
A drunken indiscretion has led to the loss of her boring office job, while her love life is a dizzy mess of accidental hook-ups and heartbreak...
Her parents don't trust her and, if she doesn't sort her life out soon, they're going to make her move back in with them...
But all that's nothing compared to the kind of trouble she's about to face.
At least she can rely on her friends - Coco, Angie, Julia and Madeleine. But how much can she really expect them to put up with?
Meet Pia. Pia’s life is a whole
lot of fun - at least while the party is rocking and the booze is flowing. Of
course it’s a good idea to hook up with her housemate’s brother. Of course it
is. Also, topless-dancing-on-tables. So. Much. Fun. Until the next morning when
her hook up turns clingy and photos of her ‘just a bit of fun’ topless dancing
make their way to Facebook. Cue unemployment
and a severe telling off from her overbearing parents, who inform Pia that she’d
better shape up, or they’ll be shipping her out of New York – and fast.
Welcome to the world of Brooklyn Girls, otherwise known as
Pia, Angie, Julia, Coco, and Madeline, the
fabulous protagonists of a fantastically fun new series from Gemma Burgess.
Think Sex and the City (for the
fashion and the friendship) meets Girls
(thankfully Hannah Horvath is nowhere to be seen!) set in a fabulous Brooklyn brownstone and you’ve got Brooklyn Girls. This one is categorised as New Adult, but is very
different than anything you’ve read before in the New Adult genre, which, by
the way, is a very good thing, in my opinion. In the days before the ‘NA’ tag, you’d have
known and loved this book as straight-up chick-lit.
All the girls – Pia (the dramatic
one), Angie (the gorgeous fashionista), Julia (little miss sensible), Madeline
(could she be more uptight?) and Coco (sweet little sister) are recent
graduates in their early twenties, save for Coco,
the baby of the group, who is still at school. Brooklyn
Girls explores the trials and tribulations that come with starting out in a
new city at a time in life when your friends are your family and there is
nothing more important than a killer outfit and a good night out with the
girls.
Pia is our narrator here, and as
you'll soon find out if you read this book, wherever Pia goes, drama soon
follows. There’s never a dull moment with this girl around, that’s for
sure. Determined to prove to her parents
(who seem to think Pia incapable of even tying her own shoelaces) that she can
fend for herself, Pia, on a whim (and having being subsequently fired from yet
another job in a restaurant – short stint – long story), decides to go and buy
a beat up pink food truck called Toto, enlisting the help of a loan shark in
the process. Ooops! Pia isn’t worried about paying back her loan, though. After
all, it’s New York City.
It’s food. And people need to eat, right? She’ll make the money back in no
time. Oh, Pia, Pia, Pia.
As a character,
Pia isn’t my favourite of the girls (I’m intrigued by Angie and her very messed
up self), but I have to say that Pia grew on me over time with her enterprising
spirit, her determination, and her caring side. Say what you will about these
girls, but they are really there for each other through thick and thin. Pia shines, especially in her dealings with
her best friend Angie and Julia’s little sister, Coco.
There is also romance for Pia, in the
form of Aidan, but romance doesn’t take center stage here, which was refreshing but also kind of a
pity, because I like a little romance and Aidan was definitely hot. But
it’s a tiny quibble, as is my small gripe with how the girls refer to each other as
‘ladybitches.' Maybe that's a Brooklyn thing - I wouldn't know.
Overall, I pretty much loved my first foray into the world of Brooklyn Girls and I’m really looking forward to reading Angie’s
story in Love and Chaos, the next
book in the Brooklyn Girls series,
which releases in 2014.
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| US Cover |
I'm glad that you enjoyed Brooklyn Girls Leanna, there had been quite a few disappointing reviews around especially in regards to Pia's character. But from your review this book sounds like a great new series to start! :)
ReplyDeleteI love gemma burgess and am so excited to read this, especially after reading your review. So jealous you've had a chance to read it already!
ReplyDeleteHmmm. Pia seems like she might be a bit of a challenging girl to really connect to (at least for me), but I'm glad she at least grew on you over time Leanna. That means she must mature a bit even if she still gets herself into one dramatic situation after the next. This one is new to me so thanks for putting it on my radar!
ReplyDeleteWow- this book seems like SO much fun and the type of book that would be perfect for vacation. I am STILL mourning the loss of SATC and this seems like something that might fill that void. I love all the drama and Pia sounds like a super entertaining narrator. I'll be adding this one to my TBR list. Great review!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad it's not typical NA as I don't really get on with that genre and this sounds like fun!
ReplyDeleteThis sounds a bit like an edgier take on Gossip Girl, so colour me completely intrigued. Pia sounds like a handful, and I'm sure I'd have a few issues with her, but it sounds like it still managed to entice you, so I'm definitely curious now! Wonderful review, Leanna :)
ReplyDeleteSeriously cannot wait for this book! Awesome review!
ReplyDeleteThis is the second positive review I've read about this particular book today and I must admit I'm in definitely intrigued!
ReplyDeleteWhile I was initially worried I would have a difficult time warming up to Pia, I love the idea of her buying a food truck on the spur of the moment. I'm a huge foodie and I think that's such an interesting twist and plot point I haven't seen in a novel before.
I was also pleasantly surprised to hear that the romance takes a back seat to friendship and personal growth. In my mind, that's what 'New Adult' should ideally be about, and I really respect this different approach to the genre.
I'll almost certainly be adding this one to my TBR list. Great review, Leanna! :)
This sounds like a really different NA book! I really love the sound of it! I received a copy for review but found the font really small (something I can't deal with) so I might end up buying it on the Kindle. Thanks for the review, glad to hear you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeletePia is a little bit of an acquired taste at the start of the book, for sure. I was rooting for her by the end, but maybe she won't be for everybody! :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read any of her other books but when I first heard about this, I had a feeling I'd like it. I was right! :) Hope you enjoy when you read it.
ReplyDeletePia definitely matures over the course of this book. I'm excited to read the next book in the series already! :)
ReplyDeleteThis one is a lot of fun, Christina! I think you'd like it.
ReplyDeleteWhat? You don't get on with NA? I NEVER knew that! ;-p You might like this one - it's more about friendship and character development than falling at the feet of the hot tattooed bad boy alá most NA books I've read.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Melissa! It could be a post-college Gossip Girl without the oodles of cash (and no Chuck Bass!)
ReplyDeleteSeriously cannot wait to see what you think of it! :)
ReplyDeleteThis book is ALL about the friendship. Before the NA tag came about I'd read plenty of books like this that were tagged chick-lit -- this one really doesn't follow the same path as a lot of the New Adult titles that are out at the moment. (That's a good thing IMO).
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jen. Hope you enjoy this one when you read it. I loved the food truck plot. :)
ReplyDeleteI know! The text is tiny! I got a copy off Netgalley (US copy). I'm not sure if it's still on there, but you should go look. I think you'd like this one. :)
ReplyDeleteI like your cover better than the US cover, Leanna. This sounds like it would be a fun and frustrating read at the same time. I think Pia's actions would annoy me because it seems she doesn't think much of consequences. Hopefully, she grows as a person through the read. Great review, Leanna! :)
ReplyDeleteOhh! This one sounds really interesting and like something I'd enjoy. I'm kind of a huge fan of characters that take a little bit of adjusting to get used to, so I'm interested in reading about Pia.
ReplyDeleteFantastic review! I'm looking forward to starting this series.