Summer and the City: A small-town sparrow chases her writing dreams in New York City, where Carrie first meets Samantha and Miranda (Carrie Diaries, 2)

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!

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!)

I definitely enjoyed this second installment of the Carrie Diaries. The way they brought in Samantha Jones was particularly interesting -- partially in contrast to how she is in the television show Sex and the City, but illustrating why she is how she is in that series. Overall I'd say the book does better with her than the Carrie Diaries tv show did with the character. The book takes a completely different direction. What was very odd about this book was it seemed that Ms. Bushnell was using Mr. Big from Sex and the City in a modified way in the form of one of Carrie's boyfriends in this novel. Just the language he used like "kiddo" kept making me think of Big and not really enjoy or take the character seriously. I thought the Carrie Diaries tv series did a better job of how Carrie got rid of her "v" card, but all together this novel seemed more in the Carrie character's element, mostly given that it is actually set in the City. The cliffhanger at the end was predictable, but welcomed.

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?

It's tough to be young in the city... the city. But for Carrie Bradshaw there is a pull from New York City calling to her like nothing else ever has. She wants to be a writer and has one chance, a mere two months, to convince everyone she should stay in the city rather than go to Brown in the fall. In Summer and the City: A Carrie Diaries Novel, by Candace Bushnell, we finally get to see how Carrie's first summer in the big city makes her a New Yorker permanently. Carrie is torn between the other kids in her writing class and the tantalizing life of one Ms. Samantha Jones. The kids in her class are a mix of New York savvy college kids who know their way around the restaurants and clubs and kids from out of town who still can't use the subway, but they are all her age, experiencing the same things she is. Samantha takes Carrie in when her landlady kicks her out and she has no where to go. She also takes Carrie out to her usual haunts, introducing her to New York's most important up and comers. When Carrie returns to her friends from class telling them how she is dating Bernard Singer, the most coveted new playwright on Broadway, and hung out with a bevy of models, fashion designers, writers, and artists, the others are clearly impressed. But Carrie can't get herself to really write. When she finds out Bernard is recently divorced, she is inspired to write a play about a husband and wife. As she continues working on her play, she comes to some conclusions about herself and the others around her. First, some people just aren't cut out to survive NYC. Also, some people may seem like talented artists when they are really silly fools who are just as miserable as everyone else (just with better tables in restaurants). And finally, Carrie Bradshaw has changed. Everything she does and thinks now is clearly through New York City tinted glasses. When she returns home or a friend comes to visit her, they clearly know she has changed. Now all she has to do is realize it. But will she, before she has to go to Brown? I bet you already know the answer! This sequel was much better than the first book for me because I got a chance to see Carrie in NYC, but it still wasn't a phenomenal book. it was entertaining and interesting, but only because I loved the show on HBO. I think if I gave these books to a kids who had never seen the show, they might quickly grow bored with the story. But knowing who Samantha and Miranda become made this much more interesting for me. This series might just be a YA series meant for fans and only fans. There is quite a lot of sex in the story, but none of it is overly graphic or specific. Instead, it is mostly everyone talking about sex and virginity as opposed to Bushnell "showing" it. Still I probably wouldn't give this to a younger high school student, more for the slowness of the story than the sexual content. I am not sure if this is it for the Carrie Diaries, but if there is more, I will most likely read it. I won't drop everything to read it, but I will get to it eventually.

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

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.

I just finished reading this book and read Carrie Diaries right before it. Summer and the City is much more relatable to the Sex and the City show than the previous book. Carrie spends her first summer in New York and we see her frienship with Samantha and Miranda blossom along with her unusual fashion style and her writing and men struggles. You can easily read this book without reading the Carrie Diaries, but a few characters do return in this book and it is helpful to know who they are. Miranda's character is spot on to the character in the tv series. Overall, this is a very fun read and gives me an extra dose of Sex and the City that I long for.

A fun and thrilling continuation from the first book. It was nice to read how Carrie met her three best friends and how she perceived New York life and love. I was hooked throughout the book and each chapter kept me wanting more. Carrie as a character was fun, fiery at times but grew more mature and aware of life in a big city throughout the book. A perfect read to set up what is now a classic TV series.

Immancabile per le fan di sex and the city e della scrittura graffiante dell'autrice. Ci si perde. Ci vuole un'ottima competenza linguistica e cullturale dell'America per capire certi passaggi. Consigliatissimo

今回はSex And The Cityの登場人物が4人とも出てきて、4人の出会い方や若いときの4人の関係などがあきらかになります。 高校生から大学生へと変わる夏休みの間のお話で、短い期間に恋や友情をぎゅっと凝縮された内容でした！！ ファンの方には是非読んで欲しいと思います♪

Loved this book! It said it was used but looks brand new!

Das zweite Buch über Carries Leben vor SATC hat mich voll überzeugt und war auch viel besser als der erste Teil. Carrie hat die Highschool hinter sich gelassen und beginnt ihren Schreibkurs. Dort werden die verschiedenen Typen, die solch einen Kurs besuchen könnten, anschaulich beschrieben. Auch Carries erste Schritte in New York mit allen Ups und Downs wird mitreißend erzählt. Insbesondere auch die Reaktionen aus ihrer Heimatstadt waren gut beschrieben. Alles in allem ein ausgezeichnetes und lebendiges Bild einer jungen Frau Anfang 20!!!