| List Price: | |
| Price: | $14.99 & eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on orders over $25. Details... |
| You Save: | $0.00(0.00%) |
| Binding: | Kindle Edition |
| EAN: | |
| Feature: | |
| Label: | Harper Collins, Inc. |
| Publisher: | Harper Collins, Inc. |
| Studio: | Harper Collins, Inc. |
| Tags: |
Editorial Reviews
Summer is a magical time in New York City and Carrie is in love with all of it—the crazy characters in her neighborhood, the vintage-clothing boutiques, the wild parties, and the glamorous man who has swept her off her feet. Best of all, she's finally in a real writing class, taking her first steps toward fulfilling her dream.
This sequel to The Carrie Diaries brings surprising revelations as Carrie learns to navigate her way around the Big Apple, going from being a country "sparrow"—as Samantha Jones dubs her— to the person she always wanted to be. But as it becomes increasingly difficult to reconcile her past with her future, Carrie realizes that making it in New York is much more complicated than she ever imagined.
With her signature wit and sparkling humor, Candace Bushnell reveals the irresistible story of how Carrie met Samantha and Miranda, and what turned a small-town girl into one of New York City's most unforgettable icons, Carrie Bradshaw.
Related Reviews
Perfect Read for the Summer Season
If you are a fan of SATC you have to read this book. While I enjoyed The Carrie Diaries, I LOVED this installment so much better. It picks up from the last book, and it is where she first meets Samantha Jones and eventually Miranda Hobbes & Capote Duncan. Who also plays a big role in this book. (As most of the SATC fans already know, Capote is in the very first episode of the TV series). There are definitely quite a few surprises in this book, and it is tons of fun to see who Samantha, Miranda and Carrie were as young women (Carrie is only 18 here). The back story gives a lot of insight into why the characters we fans know and love behave the way they do and it also introduces Charlotte towards the end. This is a fresh take on Carrie & all the girls and how they became so close. I loved every word of it, and can't wait for the next book now!
Summer and the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel
Summer and the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel
Carrie Bradshaw is finally in New York City. It's where she's always wanted to be, and she just knows it's where she belongs. Summer & the City picks up right where The Carrie Diaries left off. Carrie is supposed to be attending Brown University in the fall at her father's insistence. He wants her to become a scientist or something that will take her places, but all Carrie dreams of is becoming a famous writer. In the last book he reluctantly agreed to let her stay in New York for the summer and attend a writing class, but only after she agrees to go to Brown in the fall.
Carrie knows she is going to make it big. She has the whole summer to make her mark, and secure a place in the city. Once this happens, she is sure she can convince her father that New York is the place for her. In true Carrie fashion, things don't go exactly as she'd planned, but the lessons she learns and the friends she meets makes everything all worth it.
If you are a fan of Sex & the City you have to read this book. While I enjoyed The Carrie Diaries, I LOVED this installment. This is where she first meets Samantha Jones and eventually Miranda Hobbes. Capote Duncan also plays a big role in this book. (As most of you SATC fans already know, Capote is in the very first episode of the TV series). There are definitely quite a few surprises in this book, and it is tons of fun to see who Samantha, Miranda and Carrie were as young women (Carrie is only 18 here). The back story gives a lot of insight into why the characters we fans know and love behave the way they do. This is a fresh take on Carrie & the girls, and I loved every word of it!
Carrie knows she is going to make it big. She has the whole summer to make her mark, and secure a place in the city. Once this happens, she is sure she can convince her father that New York is the place for her. In true Carrie fashion, things don't go exactly as she'd planned, but the lessons she learns and the friends she meets makes everything all worth it.
If you are a fan of Sex & the City you have to read this book. While I enjoyed The Carrie Diaries, I LOVED this installment. This is where she first meets Samantha Jones and eventually Miranda Hobbes. Capote Duncan also plays a big role in this book. (As most of you SATC fans already know, Capote is in the very first episode of the TV series). There are definitely quite a few surprises in this book, and it is tons of fun to see who Samantha, Miranda and Carrie were as young women (Carrie is only 18 here). The back story gives a lot of insight into why the characters we fans know and love behave the way they do. This is a fresh take on Carrie & the girls, and I loved every word of it!
Perfect read for die hard fans
I wasn't too thrilled with The Carrie DIaries so when I got this book in the mail I wasn't too sure how great it would be. However, no matter what, I would appreciate the fact that it was just another story of "the girls".
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. For any die hard fan of SATC, this book just flowed beautifully. I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 days. I highly recommend it...it might actually cleanse your body of the horror that was SATC 2 (the movie).
THIS BOOK IS AMAZING. For any die hard fan of SATC, this book just flowed beautifully. I couldn't put it down and finished it in 2 days. I highly recommend it...it might actually cleanse your body of the horror that was SATC 2 (the movie).
If you are looking for a fun, entertaining and lighthearted book to read this summer you need to pick up Summer and the City. This novel continues where the Carrie Diaries left us, as Carrie Bradshaw begins her relationship with NYC. Being a long-time lover of Bushnell's original Sex and the City book and a fan of the show, it was interesting to learn how the character of Carrie developed into the phenomena that we know and love. In fact, one of the most satisfying components of this novel is the development of Carrie's relationship with Samantha and Miranda. Bushnell constantly weaves components of the show into this novel, for example the character of Capote Duncan, to provide reference points that viewers of the show can identify with. Fans of the show will not be disappointed with this prequel to the part of the story that they are already familiar with.
However, even those who are unfamiliar with the show will easily follow and identify with the characters and the story. Summer and the City is, in many ways, a coming of age story. Carrie is trying to identify who she is and who she wants to become while uncovering the New York City landscape. There are a number of new characters introduced in this novel that add interesting complications to Carrie's life, as well as some old friends from the first book that she now finds trouble connecting with.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book!
However, even those who are unfamiliar with the show will easily follow and identify with the characters and the story. Summer and the City is, in many ways, a coming of age story. Carrie is trying to identify who she is and who she wants to become while uncovering the New York City landscape. There are a number of new characters introduced in this novel that add interesting complications to Carrie's life, as well as some old friends from the first book that she now finds trouble connecting with.
Overall, I would highly recommend this book!
I LOVED this book! It picked up well from where 'The Carrie Diaries' left off, and there wasn't a dull moment from start to end. Miranda and Samantha were introduced into Carrie's life, and we learned about their back stories. New York itself was almost a character in it's own right, which I enjoyed.
I loved the fact that whilst Carrie was frustrating at times, it was still easy to empathise with her character, despite her many flaws.
I highly recommend this book!
I loved the fact that whilst Carrie was frustrating at times, it was still easy to empathise with her character, despite her many flaws.
I highly recommend this book!
I think I can safely say, this is on my Top Ten list of favourite books!:) I'm new to this series, & started reading it simply because I loved Carrie in Sex & The City, & a teen version of her sounded pretty interesting to me. Candace Bushnell wrote this book beautifully, without any dull moments!
I am a huge fan of Sex and the City and I recently decided to read the books well I finished the Carrie Diaries and then I bought Summer and the City and read it in just a few days. I could NOT put the book down and now I want to reread it just because it was SO good! This book is a nice leisurely summer read! I believe that any woman can relate to Carrie in this book! This book is money well spent! Candace Bushnell is an AMAZING author!
-A.N.W.
-A.N.W.
Know Carrie's "Besties" from Day One - A Perfect Summer Read!
From the Sex and The City fanatics to the average girl next door, everyone who has ever had a great group of "besties" will enjoy this prequel to the Sex and The City series. Candace Bushnell masterfully picks up where The Carrie Diaries left off, bringing all sorts of adventure to the girl we already grew to love. Carrie Bradshaw's character faces New York City without the street smarts, bristly competition in a summer writing program, a broken heart and the uncertainty of if she'll ever lose her innocence. The author tells an engaging and captivating tale of Carrie and how she meets the friends we all recognize. The character development is tremendous and it fills the void of understanding who Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte really are. I loved this story, a very fast and enjoyable summer selection. Don't miss the opportunity to get to know Carrie's best buds from day one.
Don't compare the show/movies to the books * Possible SPOILERS*
Once again we have everyone's favorite New Yorker...and it's fun learning how she got started and life before "Big". However die hard fans of the series or the movies will need to separate them from the books. The facts change. In the series Carrie says she was a teenager who lost her virginity on a ping pong table in the books she is still a virgin. Also in SATC 2 which just came out last spring (?) it starts by telling how she met each of the girls in order and how she met them...in the book the order of and HOW she meets Miranda and Samantha (to include all of their occupations at that time) are TOTALLY different. Also in the series Carries says she thinks she has issues with men because her father left when she was a kid but in the books she is raised by a loving, single father. I understand that this is a YA series but for those of us that have been with Carrie,Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte from the start it breaks the illusion.
This being said it's an ok read doesn't make you think too much and you get to spend a little more time with Carrie.You just have to let the books stand alone from anything you know from the series and movies.
This being said it's an ok read doesn't make you think too much and you get to spend a little more time with Carrie.You just have to let the books stand alone from anything you know from the series and movies.
This is a perfect beach read if you need something to throw in your bag this summer. I gulped this one down pretty quickly. The plot is light and I really appreciate this young adult take on this book. I think this works very well. LOVE the cover!!!
I really enjoyed reading the first book in The Carrie Diaries series, so I was looking forward to this one, the second. Candace Bushnell didn't disappoint. She's really grown as an author since the choppy Sex and the City original novel. "Summer and the City" was a quick read; the chapters flow from one to the next, written with expertise in the genre.
"Summer" was even better than the first because the Carrie Bradshaw that we know and love from the Sex and the City TV series is alive and well on the written page. If you listen closely, you can actually hear her high-pitched, squeaky voice in the dialogue.
The novel documents Carrie's first summer in New York City, between graduating high school and going off to college in the fall at Brown University. She bounces between residences, attends writing classes, starts dating, and meets various new people -- some friendly, some not. It is The Big Apple after all. Best of all, she begins meeting the women whose friendships she'll retain for life.
Throughout the novel, Carrie starts to question relationships -- friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual ones. From all of her questioning, we see the beginnings of the popular column that she'll write for the New York Star one day.
The novel and series may be labeled as "young adult," but I think these books are totally geared for fans of the hit TV show, regardless of age. I hope Bushnell continues to write Carrie's beginnings for years and years to come. New TV series, anyone?
"Summer" was even better than the first because the Carrie Bradshaw that we know and love from the Sex and the City TV series is alive and well on the written page. If you listen closely, you can actually hear her high-pitched, squeaky voice in the dialogue.
The novel documents Carrie's first summer in New York City, between graduating high school and going off to college in the fall at Brown University. She bounces between residences, attends writing classes, starts dating, and meets various new people -- some friendly, some not. It is The Big Apple after all. Best of all, she begins meeting the women whose friendships she'll retain for life.
Throughout the novel, Carrie starts to question relationships -- friendships, romantic relationships, and sexual ones. From all of her questioning, we see the beginnings of the popular column that she'll write for the New York Star one day.
The novel and series may be labeled as "young adult," but I think these books are totally geared for fans of the hit TV show, regardless of age. I hope Bushnell continues to write Carrie's beginnings for years and years to come. New TV series, anyone?
You simply can't not love Summer and the City
It doesn't matter where I am, when or in what mood. It doesn't matter on which continent and in what timezone I find myself; I always feel a little bit at home when there are books from Candace Bushnell around. She's an amazing woman and writer. She's no Kafka or Dostojewski, but she's brilliant in her own genre, books that make you feel good and give you a really great time reading them.
And of all her brilliantly smart and witty books, Summer and the City is defenitely one of my favourites!
Sex and the City, However, is always going to have an extra sentimental feel and emotional value for me. I've read it in Dutch, French, German and in English... and loved it each and every time. It made me feel better whenever I was down or had a bad day.
So when the Carrie Diaries was published I was over the moon! Although it's a completly different kind of novel, I truly loved every passage of it.
I had no idea it would be possible for me to love another book more, untill now. Summer and the City most defenitely proved me wrong!
It's a witty, well-written story, that you just can't lay down.
A true page turner, I reckon.
(I hope my English is Ok, I'm sorry for the possible mistakes!)
Summer and the city was a highly enjoyable book. It was a great follow up to the Carrie Diaries. I especially liked finding out how Carrie met Samantha, Miranda, and Charlotte. It was fun to read about their exploits around New York City. Perfect for summer and a wonderful read for fans of Sex and the City. I would highly recommend this book.
The Carrie Daries was a cute book, but really did not remind me enough of Sex in the City. It was a good night stand reader. However, Summer in the City brings Carrie Bradshaw to life again. It makes you feel like you under her character ever more. She is finally in New York city and trying to live her life. This book is hard to put down. If you loved Sex in the City then I strongly recommend this book. Took my 3 days to finish the book!
I always love reading anything by Candace Bushnell and this book is another great one by her. I'm definitely not the age category for this book but anything Carrie Bradshaw related gets my attention. I recommend it for the older and new Sex & the City fans.
Loved the previous Carrie Bradshaw pre-SATC book, so was more than excited when this new book arrived.
The book indeed starts where it left off; Carrie arriving in New York and meeting Samantha Jones. What follows is a plot-less story of how she manages to meet all the right people in NY, how she falls in and out of love, how she loses her virginity but finds true friends and a career.
Of course, this wasn't a bad read. Candace Bushnell has -imho- a remarkable style, which will absorb you into the book and keep you entertained for a couple of days. Also, she has the ability to crawl into a 18 something-year's heads and make the personages come to life.
Still, "Summer in the city" lacked something for me. Maybe it was the shallowness of this story, the predictable events, the lack of `real' plot, lack of humor. Maybe the Carrie Bradshaw-well is finally dry. Maybe all of the above.
The book indeed starts where it left off; Carrie arriving in New York and meeting Samantha Jones. What follows is a plot-less story of how she manages to meet all the right people in NY, how she falls in and out of love, how she loses her virginity but finds true friends and a career.
Of course, this wasn't a bad read. Candace Bushnell has -imho- a remarkable style, which will absorb you into the book and keep you entertained for a couple of days. Also, she has the ability to crawl into a 18 something-year's heads and make the personages come to life.
Still, "Summer in the city" lacked something for me. Maybe it was the shallowness of this story, the predictable events, the lack of `real' plot, lack of humor. Maybe the Carrie Bradshaw-well is finally dry. Maybe all of the above.
Fun, satisfying Carrie Bradshaw backstory
Seventeen-year-old Carrie Bradshaw has finally arrived in New York, the city of her dreams --- and she feels like an entirely different person. After all, she is now in the true center of the universe. But Carrie's clock is ticking. She has just 60 days to figure out how she can manage to remain in what should be her forever home instead of going off to college at Brown University, as her father expects her to do.
After suffering a stolen purse upon her arrival, Carrie had called the cousin of a friend from Castlebury. The New York cousin is Samantha Jones, who hauls wide-eyed Carrie off to quite the introduction to the big city in the form of a wild all-night party. When Carrie finally does arrive at her own "apartment," she's appalled to see the size of her little cubicle and how weird her new landlady acts.
At least her friend George from Castlebury is in the city, too. George has a summer job at the New York Times. But when Carrie meets with him, he gives her bad news. He's being sent away to Washington D.C., where he can do some "real reporting." This leaves Carrie feeling both deserted and strangely liberated since she'd expected George to acclimate her to the big city as they'd planned. George does give her advice before he leaves, telling her to go to her writing class, work hard --- and avoid crazy people (like that's going to happen!)
The next morning, a stranger calls Carrie, announcing she discovered her stolen bag in a garbage can. The two agree to meet in front of Saks so Carrie can retrieve it. Carrie is a bit taken aback when the stranger turns out to be an outspoken young woman with short, dyed red hair who is protesting porn. Carrie doesn't get her name, but (not so unexpectedly, but quite satisfyingly for fans of the TV series) Miranda Hobbes has not vanished forever from Carrie's life.
Carrie freely admits that her curiosity frequently trumps her better judgment. That's why she agrees to visit a man she encountered at her very first New York City party. This new friend/crush is the handsome, older Bernard Singer, who happens to be a famous playwright. Their relationship is soon convoluted, complicated by Carrie's recent ambition to also write a play.
This is another highly satisfying addition to the Carrie Bradshaw backstory. As we might expect, the plot centers on guys and romance, writing and ambition, plus the strong friendships Carrie is genius at (along with her unique and colorful fashion sense). These might be predictable subjects for a Carrie Bradshaw book, but they are somehow handled freshly, making for yet another purely enjoyable and gripping read. Meeting up with the young versions of Samantha and Miranda underscores the knack Candace Bushnell has for creating endearing characters true to their essences; they seem like flesh-and-blood people. Readers will surely relate to Carrie's sympathetic but sassy commentary on New York City in the '80s.
We can only hope that we get the opportunity to vicariously enjoy another of Carrie's adventures soon.
--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon
After suffering a stolen purse upon her arrival, Carrie had called the cousin of a friend from Castlebury. The New York cousin is Samantha Jones, who hauls wide-eyed Carrie off to quite the introduction to the big city in the form of a wild all-night party. When Carrie finally does arrive at her own "apartment," she's appalled to see the size of her little cubicle and how weird her new landlady acts.
At least her friend George from Castlebury is in the city, too. George has a summer job at the New York Times. But when Carrie meets with him, he gives her bad news. He's being sent away to Washington D.C., where he can do some "real reporting." This leaves Carrie feeling both deserted and strangely liberated since she'd expected George to acclimate her to the big city as they'd planned. George does give her advice before he leaves, telling her to go to her writing class, work hard --- and avoid crazy people (like that's going to happen!)
The next morning, a stranger calls Carrie, announcing she discovered her stolen bag in a garbage can. The two agree to meet in front of Saks so Carrie can retrieve it. Carrie is a bit taken aback when the stranger turns out to be an outspoken young woman with short, dyed red hair who is protesting porn. Carrie doesn't get her name, but (not so unexpectedly, but quite satisfyingly for fans of the TV series) Miranda Hobbes has not vanished forever from Carrie's life.
Carrie freely admits that her curiosity frequently trumps her better judgment. That's why she agrees to visit a man she encountered at her very first New York City party. This new friend/crush is the handsome, older Bernard Singer, who happens to be a famous playwright. Their relationship is soon convoluted, complicated by Carrie's recent ambition to also write a play.
This is another highly satisfying addition to the Carrie Bradshaw backstory. As we might expect, the plot centers on guys and romance, writing and ambition, plus the strong friendships Carrie is genius at (along with her unique and colorful fashion sense). These might be predictable subjects for a Carrie Bradshaw book, but they are somehow handled freshly, making for yet another purely enjoyable and gripping read. Meeting up with the young versions of Samantha and Miranda underscores the knack Candace Bushnell has for creating endearing characters true to their essences; they seem like flesh-and-blood people. Readers will surely relate to Carrie's sympathetic but sassy commentary on New York City in the '80s.
We can only hope that we get the opportunity to vicariously enjoy another of Carrie's adventures soon.
--- Reviewed by Terry Miller Shannon
Share your thoughts with other customers
Create your own review
Create your own review
After the scandalous and juicy The Carrie Diaries, I was eager to re-enter Carrie's life as she made her way in New York. Therefore, when Summer and the City appeared in my mailbox, I was excited beyond words. Thankfully, Summer and the City was even better than The Carrie Diaries.
Summer and the City begins just a day after The Carrie Diaries ended. Even though Carrie's welcome into the city was everything but warm, she's excited to start her summer there in style, and as it begins, everything is simply fantastic. She's meeting real, live writers she can't help but admire and love; she's making the friends she always wished she had; and she's accomplshing great progress in her writing class. Better yet, this summer has also turned out to be one full of possible romance. Carrie is quite possibly having the time of her life. However, after a visit from a past friend and reunion with her family, she's beginning to wonder if she can ever go back to being plain old, prior- New York City Carrie. Faced with plenty of questions, Carrie wonders if she will ever figure them all out. More importantly, when given the chance to stay in New York, will she leave or go? Only more time and pages can tell!
In this addition, Carrie truly steps up her game, becoming not only an empowering and headstrong young woman, but someone I also could not help but relate to and root for as she makes her dreams come true. What I love most about her character, though, is that she is real. She has the same worries and questions about life and love and friendship just like any person has, and more importantly, she accumulates her own fair share of problems as this novel continues. Better yet, I adored the friendships she made in this one with hilarious and scandals Samantha as well as feminist, mouthy, yet lovable Miranda. Both friendships played an important role in not only Carrie's coming to age but also making this novel the great and enjoyable thing it was.
The plot in this was also a high point. Full of twists, turns, and swoon-worthy male characters, there was not a moment where I wasn't dying to know what would happen next to Carrie and her friends. Romance also played an important part- a part I enjoyed and loved, because it also caused suspense, as I wondered whom Carrie would end up with. Better yet, Candace Bushnell's also stepped it up a bit with her writing, as she truly brought the characters and the setting off the page and to life with this one.
Full of secrets, romance, and characters you cannot help but love, Summer and the City will leave nearly any fan of Carrie's begging for yet another addition to this series.
Highly recommended to say the least...
Grade: A+